Arthrocentesis versus conservative treatments for temporomandibular joint disorders: A systematic review with meta-analyses and trial sequential analyses

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of arthrocentesis compared to conservative treatments for symptomatic temporomandibular joint disorders. A systematic search for randomized, prospective and retrospective controlled trials was undertaken in five electronic databases. Various patient outcomes and economic evaluations were analysed for short-term (<6 months), intermediate-term (6 months to 5 years) and long-term (≥5 years) follow-up periods. Primary meta-analyses were performed for randomized controlled trials using random-effects models. Arthrocentesis was superior to conservative treatments regarding pain reduction at short-term (MD 14.5 (95% CI 9.7; 19.4), k= 9 RCTs, n= 545 patients, I