Long-term effect of intra-articular injections of a glucocorticosteroid into the TMJ: a clinical and radiographic 8-year follow-up.

The long-term (8 years) effect of intra-articular injections of glucocorticosteroid into the TMJ on subjective and clinical dysfunction in the stomatognathic system and on the radiographic appearance of the TMJ was investigated in 16 patients with signs of TMJ arthritis. The subjective symptoms as well as the clinical signs were significantly reduced at the follow-up examination. Erosions of the bony articular margins of the TMJ that could be observed radiographically before treatment were found to be remineralized at the follow-up and associated with bony remodeling (deviation in shape) of the joint. The results indicate that the long-term prognosis of intra-articular glucocorticosteroid injections for TMJ arthritis is good and that there are no radiographically demonstrable side effects of the treatment.