Our speaker for November 8 - Dave Samson

President and founder of TMJ Concepts, Inc., Dave Samson, gave a presentation to the Club about temporomandibular joint implants. This particular joint makes it possible for you to talk, eat, swallow, and sleep.  Unlike a hip or knee replacement, this joint replacement must be custom made.  The facial bone structure of each person is so different that there is no way to standardize the implant.

The history of temporomandibular joint implants is quite interesting and a bit scary.  The first implants were made using Proplast, Teflon, and Silastic.  These materials worked great in the sense that they emulated anatomy very well and the surgeons could manipulate the material to correctly position it for each patient.  Between 1983 and 1991, approximately 26,000 people received this implant.  Unfortunately, over time, the material started to fall apart.  Fragments of the material floated around in the patient and caused immune responses, joint inflammation, and bone loss.  The tissues in the skull began to dissolve.  Approximately 15,000 people experienced this type of breakdown.

Between 1989 and 1993, TMJ Concepts’ predecessor, Techmedica, started making custom implants to help people who were affected by the old technology.  However, in 1993, the FDA decided to pull all TMJ devices off the market due to all of the complaints.  It wasn’t until 1997 that TMJ Concepts was able to once again make the custom implants. 

TMJ Concepts uses new materials and technology that work very well in the human body and give their implants an indefinite life span.  None of the 7,500 implants that they have sold have ever fallen apart or disintegrated like the old technology.

TMJ Concepts is the only company currently making custom implants.  TMJ Concepts helps an average of 600 patients each year.  30% of their sales are international.  They do not do any marketing; however, they are often featured in the medical journals. 

TMJ Concepts is based in Ventura, California and employs approximately 30 people.  Mr. Samson invites everyone to take a tour of their facility. 

Thank you Mr. Samson for a wonderful presentation and for all of the great work you do.

Deborah A. Perkins