Medium-Term Effect of Treatment with Intra-Articular Injection of Sodium Hyaluronate, Betamethasone and Platelet-Rich Plasma in Patients with Temporomandibular Arthralgia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Temporomandibular joint disorders are associated with pain and reduced jaw mobility. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term effect on pain of intra-articular TMJ injections of betamethasone, sodium hyaluronate and platelet-rich plasma. The sample was made up of 114 patients, who were randomly distributed into three groups at least three years ago and who achieved a total remission of pain after treatment. We found that the median number of months without pain was, according to each group, as follows: platelet-rich plasma: 33; sodium hyaluronate: 28; betamethasone: 19. Both platelet-rich plasma and sodium hyaluronate lead to significant pain-free time after treatment; when we compare bethametasone with the two other substances, it proved to be very ineffective.

Keywords

• temporomandibular disorders
• arthralgia
• sodium hyaluronate
• betamethasone
• platelet-rich plasma