Improvement of pain and function after arthroscopy and arthrocentesis of the temporomandibular joint: a comparative study

In 1993 and 1994, 720 patients with pain in the temporo-mandibular joint ar ea were examined and treated. The authors describe their therapeutic protoc ol. Sixty-two patients were not relieved by conservative nonsurgical therap y and were treated by arthroscopy or arthrocentesis, In both groups the dif ferences in functional result and in pain control mere analysed. Results sh ow that both arthroscopy and lavage are useful in improving function and di minishing pain, Arthroscopy shows better results for functional treatment w hereas arthrocentesis and arthroscopy show similar results in pain control. (C) 2000 European Association for Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery.