Enhanced recovery after surgery for TMJ total joint replacement

At Penn Medicine, our expert oral and maxillofacial surgeons are pioneers in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery.

As part of its leading-edge care, the Penn Center for TMJ Disease offers Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) to help ensure the best possible outcomes for TMJ total joint replacement surgery.

ERAS addresses your TMJ pain, nutrition, movement, surgical site, and educational needs throughout your treatment journey—from surgery prep to recovery. And evidence-based programs such as ERAS have been shown to improve surgical outcomes, patient care, and satisfaction.

What is ERAS?

Traditionally, surgical processes—which include evaluation before surgery, hospitalization for surgery, and care after surgery—were fragmented. You’d often have to visit different providers at different locations, depending on where you were in the process.

The ERAS pathway streamlines the TMJ total joint replacement surgery journey—from preparation through recovery. By following ERAS, your care team can better prepare you for TMJ surgery and evaluate potential risk factors at all phases of your journey. By design, ERAS helps you achieve early recovery after surgery by better preparing you before surgery.

What is TMJ total joint replacement surgery?

If you have severe arthritis, bony fusion, tumors, or broken bones, you may benefit from complete replacement of the temporomandibular joint. During the procedure, an incision is made in front of the ear and under the jawline, so the ball-and-socket component of the joint is able to be replaced.