## 3 Results  
A total of 44 consecutive patients were treated. Eight patients were excluded from the study because they did not meet our inclusion criteria (six patients with rheumatoid arthritis, one patient with post-traumatic osteoarthritis, and one patient with osteomyelitis). The general characteristics of the study cohort are presented in Table 1. Compared to the entire sample, eight patients underwent intra-articular injections at least six months prior to the surgery. The most common comorbidities were hypertension in fifteen patients, diabetes in nine patients, and hypercholesterolemiaemia in thirteen patients. Two patients had both hypercholesterolemiaemia and diabetes, while 4 patients had both diabetes and hypertension. All patients had grade III osteoarthritis, according to the Eaton-Littler classification.  
Eighteen patients underwent AST by Altissimi (Group A), four males and fourteen females, while eighteen patients, six males and twelve females, were treated with TMJ arthroplasty (Group B). The mean age was 60 \(\pm\) 7.6 for Group A and 61 \(\pm\) 8.2 for Group B.  
All results, including comprehensive details and relevant data, are presented in Table 2 for better understanding. In Group A, the DASH score decreased from 71.2 \(\pm\) 4.4 to 9.4 \(\pm\) 6.2 (\(p\) < 0.05). The VAS score decreased from 7.2 \(\pm\) 3.3 preoperatively to 2.2 \(\pm\) 1.3 (\(p\) < 0.05) at three months, 2.0 \(\pm\) 0.6 (\(p\) < 0.05) at six months, 1.8 \(\pm\) 0.5 (\(p\) < 0.05) at twelve months, and 1.2 \(\pm\) 0.7 (\(p\) < 0.05) at twenty-four months post-surgery. The Range Of Motion (ROM) of the joint increased from 53.1\({}^{\circ}\)\(\pm\) 2.1\({}^{\circ}\) to 75.8\({}^{\circ}\)\(\pm\) 3.4\({}^{\circ}\) (\(p\) < 0.05). preoperatively, the Kapandji score was 4.0 \(\pm\) 1.1 and 9.2 \(\pm\) 1.2 twenty-four months after surgery (\(p\) < 0.05). The strength (Kg), measured with a dynamometer for pulp pinch and hand grip, increased from 2.2 \(\pm\) 0.4 to 3.2 \(\pm\) 0.3 (\(p\) = 0.13) and from 21.3 \(\pm\) 2.3 to 23.3 \(\pm\) 1.6 twenty-four months after surgery (\(p\) = 0.23). The MHQ score was 67.2 \(\pm\) 5.7 in a preoperative physical examination and 89.4 \(\pm\) 7.3 in postoperative follow-up.  
In Group B, the DASH score decreased from 74.8 \(\pm\) 3.5 to 12.3 \(\pm\) 4.2. The VAS score decreased from 7.4 \(\pm\) 3.1 preoperatively to 1.2 \(\pm\) 0.8 three months (\(p\) < 0.05), 1.1 \(\pm\) 0.9 (\(p\) < 0.05) at six months, 0.3 \(\pm\) 0.7 (\(p\) < 0.05) at twelve months, and 0.3 \(\pm\) 0.7 (\(p\) < 0.05) at twenty-four months post-surgery. The Range Of Motion (ROM) of the joint increased from 55.3\({}^{\circ}\)\(\pm\) 1.9\({}^{\circ}\) to 75.5\({}^{\circ}\)\(\pm\) 2.8\({}^{\circ}\) (\(p\) < 0.05). The Kapandji score was 4.3 \(\pm\) 0.8 preoperatively and 7.8 \(\pm\) 1.4 twenty-four months after surgery (\(p\) < 0.05). The strength (Kg), measured with a dynamometer for pulp pinch and hand grip, increased from 2.9 \(\pm\) 0.8 to 4.9 \(\pm\) 0.5 (\(p\) = 0.11) and from 26.3 \(\pm\) 1.1 to 31.6 \(\pm\) 1.8 twenty-four months after surgery (\(p\) < 0.05). The MHQ score was 64.7 \(\pm\) 6.2 in the preoperative physical examination and 91.2 \(\pm\) 9.3  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline  & **n** & **Gender** & **Mean Age (y.o.)** & **Eaton-Littler** \\ \hline Group A & 18 & 4 M; 14 F & 60.3 \(\pm\) 7.6 & III \\ Group B & 18 & 6 M; 12 F & 61.2 \(\pm\) 8.2 & III \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 1: The table shows the average age, gender of the patients, and the Eaton–Littler grade of arthritis in the TMJ.  
in the postoperative follow-up. Postoperative radiographs showed that the distance, or gap, between the base of the first TMJ and the scaphoid in Group A was 7.2 \(\pm\)1.2 mm. At the final X-ray follow-up, this gap in Group A had decreased to 5.3 \(\pm\)1.3 mm. By contrast, Group B's immediate postoperative X-ray revealed a gap of 7.6 \(\pm\)1.2 mm, which remained nearly unchanged at 7.3 \(\pm\)1.4 mm at the last follow-up.