Comparison of outcomes with intra-articular hyaluronic acid vs corticosteroids after TMJ arthrocentesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This article systematically reviews and meta-analyzes randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of intra-articular hyaluronic acid (HA) versus corticosteroids (CS) following temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthrocentesis for internal derangement (ID). Analysis of nine RCTs found no significant difference between HA and CS in improving pain scores and maximal mouth opening (MMO) at most follow-up intervals, except for a small but statistically significant pain reduction favoring HA at three months. The overall quality of evidence was low due to small sample sizes, methodological limitations, and heterogeneity among studies. Consequently, current data do not support a clear preference for either HA or CS as adjuncts to TMJ arthrocentesis, highlighting the need for larger, well-designed trials to establish comparative effectiveness.