• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.43-47
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• 2015

Purpose : The aim of this study was to report a follow-up study on the prognosis following the arthrocentsis for the painful temporomandibular dysfunction not responsible to the conservative splint therapies. Arthrocentsis of TMJ is a simple precedure that can be performed in the out-patient clinic under the local anesthesia without any reported complications. Method : Seventy patients had been followed after the arthrocentsis for over 6 months. Maximum mouth opening, TMJ pain, TMJ noise, and their changes by time were examined and compared statistically. The effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated in terms of the postoperative range of maximal mouth opening (MMO) and the degree of postoperative pain score. Predictors which was analyzed were age, duration of painful locking, MMO, the degree of pain, preoperative clicking and the amounts of irrigation fluid. Result : The result of this study were as follow; 1) Mouth opening was improved from 32.6 mm to 42.4 mm in the maximum inter-incisal distance. 2) TMJ pain was decreased in 45.7%. 3) TMJ clicking and noise disappeared in 60.0%, but recurred in 40.0%. Conclusion : Amounts of irrigated solution recovered to normal MMO and the appeareance of perioperative clkicking may be predictors of the successful results of arthrocenetesis of ADD without reduction of TMJ.