Mandibular prostheses

Mandibular prosthesis apparatus for mounting on the remaining stump portion of the ascending ramus, at the posterior end of a human mandible, from which has been removed by surgical intervention a diseased or fractured condylar process portion of said ramus as part of the TM joint complex of said mandible, said stump portion presenting a surgically prepared substantially horizontal plateau, and said apparatus comprising:

• a) a synthetic condylar replacement member formed of a non-toxic, biocompatible thermoplastic polymer of the pplyacetal family of compounds and including an upper knob-shaped condyle portion and a lower cylindrical condyle-supporting stem portion;
• b) a ramus attachment fixture including a cylindrical sleeve portion for receiving the cylindrical condyle-supporting stem portion of said condylar replacement member and panel means for attaching said fixture to the stump portion of said ramus, said attachment fixture being formed of tissue-biocompatible, mesh-type perforated titanium sheet material;
• c) mounting means cooperative with said panel means for securing said attachment fixture to the stump portion of said ramus, said mounting means comprising bone screws applied through the perforations of Said titanium sheet material and into said ramus stump portion;
• and
• d) securing means cooperative with the cylindrical sleeve portion of said attachment fixture and said stem portion of said condylar replacement member for maintaining the knob-shaped condyle portion of said replacement member in proper rotational orientation in the TM joint complex of said mandible, said securing means comprising bone screws applied through the perforations of said titanium sheet material of said sleeve portion and into said stem portion,

Mandibular prosthesis apparatus for mounting on the remaining stump portion of the ascending ramus, at the posterior end of a human mandible, from which has been removed by surgical intervention a diseased or fractured condylar process portion of said ramus as part of the TM joint complex of said mandible comprising:

• a) a synthetic replacement member formed of a non-toxic, biocompatible thermoplastic polymer of the polyacetal family of compounds and including an upper knob-shaped condyle portion and a lower cylindrical condyle-supporting stem portion;
• b) a ramus attachment fixture including:
• i) a cylindrical sleeve portion for receiving the cylindrical condyle-supporting stem portion of said condylar replacement member,
• ii) panel means for attaching said fixture to the stump portion of said ramus, said panel means projecting forwardly from said cylindrical sleeve portion of said fixture for positioning and mounting on the lateral side of said stump portion of the ramus, and
• iii) a ramus clamping panel projecting forwardly from said cylindrical sleeve portion of said fixture and spaced from said panel means for positioning on the medial side of said stump portion of the ramus for stabilizing said condylar replacement prosthesis in its mounted position on said stump portion of the ramus;
• c) mounting means cooperative with said panel means for securing said attachment fixture to the stump portion of said ramus, said mounting means comprising bone screws applied through the perforations of said titanium sheet material and into said ramus stump portion;
• and
• d) securing means cooperative with the cylindrical sleeve portion of said attachment fixture and said stem portion of said condylar replacement member for maintaining the knob-shaped condyle portion of said replacement member in proper rotational orientation in the TM joint complex of said mandible, said securing means comprising bone screws applied through the perforations of said titanium sheet material of said sleeve portion and into said stem portion.