ABSTRACT
Introduction: Prolotherapy is a minimally invasive techniqueused in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders.Prolotherapy agent induces an inflammatory process in thejoint, stimulates fibroblast proliferation, hence facilitatesthe healing process and strengthens the joint and associatedligaments and tendons. The main aim of this article wasto study the effect of 25% dextrose prolotherapy ontemporomandibular joint pain, clicking and maximum mouthopening by using different injection sites.Material and methods: Sixty patients with establisheddiagnosis of unilateral disc displacement with reduction whocomplained of unilateral symptoms (pain and clicking) wereincluded in the study. They were randomly allocated to threegroups (Group A, Group B and Group C) of 20 patients each.Group A patients received intra-articular injections into thesuperior joint space, Group B patients received injections intothe inferior joint space where as Group C patients were giveninjections into the retrodiscal tissues. Each group receivedsubsequent injections at first, second and third weeks at therespective sites. Pain, clicking and maximum mouth opening(MMO) was recorded pre-operatively, post-operatively at 3weeks and 2 months.Results: Group B and Group C patients showed a significantdecrease in the pain score at 3 weeks and 2 months postoperatively while as no significant pain relief was observed inGroup A. Maximum mouth opening improved significantly inGroup B and Group C patients at 3 weeks and 2 months andwas highest in Group C. Reduction in clicking was best seenin Group C.Conclusion: Prolotherapy is more effective when injectionsite is selected as per the type of symptoms of the patientswith temporomandibular disorders.