Comparison of Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma and Chitosan in the Treatment of Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Purpose The purpose of this article is to study the effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injected into the upper cavity of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) on the treatment of TMJ osteoarthritis. Patients and Methods We retrospectively analyzed the data of 27 patients with TMJ osteoarthritis treated at the China Medical University Hospital of Stomatology from September 2018 to September 2019. Maximal interincisal opening, pain intensity, and TMJ sounds were recorded and compared before treatment and at the 3rd and 6th months after the treatment. SPSS 24.0 software was used to analyze the data of each group, and the imaging changes in the condylar bone were compared before and 6 months after the treatment. The P-value was set at .05. Results Better results were observed in the group treated with PRP on maximal interincisal opening and pain intensity than in the group receiving chitosan treatment. Regarding TMJ sounds, relief was observed in both groups, with no significant difference. Conclusions The effect of PRP on the improvement of the maximal interincisal opening and pain intensity of patients with TMJ osteoarthritis is better than that of chitosan. However, it should be noted that the incidence of complications associated with the injection of PRP may be higher than that with injection of chitosan.