Is Repeated Arthrocentesis Beneficial in the Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders: A Retrospective Study

Purpose: Arthrocentesis is an effective, simple, and minimally invasive treatment in patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) closed lock (CL). The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of 1- versus 2-session arthrocentesis procedures in the management of TMJ CL. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the files of patients with TMJ CL according to diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders. Patients who underwent 1- or 2-session arthrocentesis were included in the study. The decision of whether to undergo 1- or 2-session arthrocentesis was made by the patients: Those who accepted a second arthrocentesis procedure were assigned to group 1 (repeated arthrocentesis group), and those who did not accept, to group 2 (arthrocentesis group). The primary predictor variable was treatment method. TMJ pain (scored on a visual analog scale) and maximum mouth opening (MMO) were selected as the outcome variables. To evaluate the clinical outcomes of 1- or 2-session arthrocentesis, MMO and pain score (on a visual analog scale) before treatment and at 1, 3, and 6 months' follow-up were analyzed. Descriptive, comparative, correlation, and multivariate analyses were conducted. Results: A total of 30 patients (25 female and 5 male patients) with TMJ disc displacement without reduction were enrolled in the study. Each group consisted of 15 patients. Statistically significant decreases in pain scores and increases in MMO values were observed in both treatment groups at 3 and 6 months (P <.05). At 6 months, MMO values were significantly higher and pain levels were significantly lower in patients who received 2 arthrocentesis procedures. Conclusions: Repeated arthrocentesis is more successful at reducing pain and improving MMO than a single intervention in the treatment of TMJ CL.