Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthrocentesis is a well-established minimally invasive treatment for patients with TMJ arthralgia and internal derangement. Although intra-articular hyaluronic acid is frequently administered following arthrocentesis to improve pain relief and joint function, evidence regarding the efficacy of intra-articular magnesium sulfate remains limited. Magnesium sulfate has demonstrated analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties through N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonism and modulation of calcium influx; however, its clinical use in TMJ disorders has not been adequately investigated.
This investigator-initiated, single-center, three-arm randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted to compare the clinical effectiveness and safety of intra-articular magnesium sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and normal saline administered after TMJ arthrocentesis in patients diagnosed with TMJ arthralgia according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD).
The primary outcome was the change in chewing pain measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes included maximum mouth opening, Jaw Functional Limitation Scale-8 (JFLS-8), Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), Graded Chronic Pain Scale version 2.0 (GCPS v2.0), Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), analgesic consumption, and adverse events.