Importance

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Abstract

A temporomandibular surgical implant includes a L-shaped bracket having first and second legs extending transversely with respect to each other. A portion of the first leg constitutes a mounting surface adapted to be mounted against an outer lateral surface of a patient's zygomatic arch. The portion of the first leg constituting the mounting surface faces in the direction in which the second leg extends away from the first leg. The implant includes a fitting member provided with a seating surface that is adapted to be seated against the articular eminence of the patient and is movably connected to the second leg in such a manner that the seating surface faces substantially in the direction in which the first leg extends away from the second leg. Since the fitting member carried by the second leg is movable, the orientation of the seating surface with respect to the mounting surface can be adjusted to the orientation of the articular eminence relative to the outer lateral surface of the zygomatic arch in a particular patient. In this configuration, the fitting member may be readily adjusted to an optimal position relative to the L-shaped bracket to provide a snug fit with the articular eminence. A single design of the mounting surface and a limited number of designs of the fitting member with hollow cylinder-sector shaped seating surfaces with different radii will readily accommodate the zygomatic arches of a number of different patients. The fitting member is detachably connected to the bracket and is rotatable relative to the bracket.

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First Claim