Vol. 7, Issue 4, Part E (2021)

Aims: The study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of duloxetine in comparison to arthrocentesis in TMJ disorders.

Materials and Methods: The study comprised 45 patients with TMJ pain who were separated into three groups, each with 15 participants. Only TMJ arthrocentesis was given in Group A; only duloxetine therapy (30 mg) was given in Group B twice a day orally for three months; and a combination of TMJ arthrocentesis and duloxetine therapy (30 mg) was given twice a day orally for three months in Group C. Patients were tested in terms of pain, maximal mouth opening (mm), clicking, and estimation of interleukin 6 on the 1st day, 5th day, 7th day, 4th week, 6th week, and 12th week (IL 6).

Results: At weeks 4, 6, and 12, pain levels in Group C were much lower than in the other groups. On successive follow-ups, mouth opening in Group C grew much more than in Groups A and B. Postoperatively, biochemical examination of IL 6 levels in lavage fluid revealed a significant decrease in levels of IL 6 in Groups A and C.

Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, pain was significantly reduced following arthrocentesis combined with duloxetine medication. This combined therapy produces a considerably better and faster result, but it still necessitates long-term follow-ups with a larger number of patients.