Effects of the hyaluronic acid infiltration in the treatment of internal temporomandibular joint disorders

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

The primary protocol for the control of temporomandibular disorders prioritizes reversible and less invasive measures. However, conservative treatment is sometimes ineffective. Therefore, the use of hyaluronic acid has been suggested as a therapeutic alternative to verify the effectiveness of the hyaluronic acid in patients who are not responsive to the most conservative treatments, helping them in the control of pain. This article aims to perform a literature review on the efficacy of this substance in the treatment of internal changes of the temporomandibular joint.

CONTENTS:

The search strategy used the Pubmed portal and the Web of Science database for the last 10 years. We included articles in English that evaluated the efficacy of the hyaluronic acid in the intra-articular disorders of temporomandibular joint, and excluded articles from literature review, clinical case reports, theses, and dissertations. Fifteen studies, classified as randomized clinical trials, prospective and retrospective studies, case-control, pilot study, and systematic reviews were selected. The hyaluronic acid is of fundamental importance in the function and lubrication of joint tissues due to its high molecular weight. When degenerative and inflammatory changes are present, their concentration and molecular weight are diminished, and the injection of this acid raises these levels, which can generate pain relief.

CONCLUSION:

Intra-articular therapy with hyaluronic acid is effective in the reduction of symptomatologic levels and the functional restoration of the temporomandibular joint.

Keywords:
Hyaluronic acid; Intra-articular injections; Viscossupplementation; Temporomandibular joint disorder