Condylar condition and mandibular growth during early functional treatment of children with juvenile chronic arthritis.

TMJ involvement in children with Juvenile Chronic Arthritis (JCA) will frequently cause disturbance of the growth of the mandible. Orthodontic treatment of these patients often includes orthognathic surgery, and are complicated to handle with respect to the damaged joint and impaired function. The aim of this presentation is to suggest an early treatment with a functional splint appliance, a distraction splint, with the purpose of increasing function of the joint and ensuring continuous growth of the mandible.