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

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Temporomandibular disorders are a major public health problem affecting approximately 10% of the population, currently the second most common musculoskeletal condition after chronic low back pain, and causing disability and pain in patients who suffer from them, limiting the individual’s daily activities and quality of life. Intra-articular injections have been proposed as a specific treatment for joint inflammation and degeneration and have been shown to increase mouth opening and decrease pain associated with these disorders, although long-term follow-up is scarce in the literature. Our study compared the efficacy on TMJ pain of intra-articular injections of betamethasone, sodium hyaluronate and platelet-rich plasma in a sample of 114 patients, with a three-year follow-up, and found that both platelet-rich plasma and sodium hyaluronate led to significant pain-free time after treatment; betamethasone was less effective. 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.