Comparison of clinical outcomes of treatment of dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint between conventional and ultrasound-guided arthrocentesis

Patients with disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) who do not respond to non-operative treatment may require invasive procedures such as arthrocentesis and arthroscopy. We divided 80 patients with dysfunction of the TMJ into two groups: a control group who were treated by conventional arthrocentesis, and an experimental group who were treated by ultrasound-guided arthrocentesis. Both groups were monitored three days, one week, and one month postoperatively and the clinical outcomes compared. The experimental group had a significant reduction in the degree of pain in the immediate postoperative period (p = 0.015). However, ultrasound-guided arthrocentesis showed no significant improvement in symptoms overall compared with conventional arthrocentesis. Both techniques seem to be effective in the management of dysfunction of the TMJ. (C) 2018 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.