Objective: This study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of dextrose 25% injection prolotherapy with intermaxillary fixation in the treatment of temporomandibular joint hypermobility in a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial.
Patients and methods: Twenty patients with TMJ hypermobility were randomly equally divided into two groups: Group A: Patients were treated with injection of dextrose 25% alone into the posterior periarticular tissues. Group B: patients were treated with dextrose 25% and IMF for 2 weeks. They were assessed for the maximum voluntary interincisal mouth opening MMO of the patients measured in millimeters and intensity of pain using a 10-point visual analogue scale VAS. The preoperative mean values were compared with postoperative mean values at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3, and 6 months.
Results: Both groups revealed significant improvement in TMJ pain and significant reduction in MMO throughout follow up periods. By the end of the study, group B showed a statistically significantly reduction in mean MMO values than group A.
Conclusion: Prolotherapy with dextrose 25% seems promising for the treatment of symptomatic TMJ hypermobility. It is a simple and safe technique devoid of significant side effects. A better result could be obtained if dextrose injection was combined with IMF for two weeks.