Efficacy of intra-articular hyaluronic acid (HA) treatment in patients with reducing displaced disc of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

The efficacy of intra-articular sodium hyaluronate in patients with reducing displaced disc of the temporomandibular joint.

Article specifications

This clinical trial was published in 2002 in Journal of J Oral Rehabil. (IF 2008: 2.03) by Chinese dentists. We examined the efficacy of intra-articular hyaluronic acid (HA) treatment in 38 patients with reducing displaced disc of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Subjects received two unilateral upper space injections of HA or physiological saline solution with 1 week apart. Efficacy was based on the following measurements: pain and sound intensity of the joint measured by visual analogue scale (VAS), modified Helkimo's clinical dysfunction index and the intensity of joint vibration during opening and closing the mouth measured by accelerometers.

 

Result

The change in baseline measurements of all of the efficacy criteria at month 1 and at month 6 in the treatment group was significantly better compared with the change obtained with placebo at the same time intervals. This study demonstrates that intra-articular sodium hyaluronate (Orthovisc) injection into the TMJ is an effective treatment for a reducing displaced disc.