ARTHROCENTESIS VERSUS ARTHROSCOPY IN THE TREATMENT OF TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DISC DISPLACEMENT WITHOUT REDUCTION: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) comprise a group of conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint, masticatory muscles, and associated structures, often related to disc displacement without reduction, a condition that may lead to joint pain, limited mouth opening, and functional impairment of the mandible. In this context, minimally invasive procedures such as arthrocentesis and arthroscopy have been widely used in the management of these disorders, particularly in cases refractory to conservative treatment. The aim of this study was to analyze, through an integrative literature review, the effectiveness of arthrocentesis compared with arthroscopy in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disc locking. The literature search was performed in the PubMed and SciELO databases between January and March 2026, including articles published from 2016 to 2026 in Portuguese and English. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria and analyzing titles, abstracts, and full texts, nineteen studies were selected for this review. The results demonstrated that both techniques present favorable clinical outcomes, mainly regarding pain reduction, increased mouth opening, and improvement of mandibular function. Arthrocentesis showed advantages related to its technical simplicity and lower cost, whereas arthroscopy allows direct visualization of intra-articular structures and more specific therapeutic interventions. It can be concluded that both arthrocentesis and arthroscopy represent effective therapeutic options for the treatment of temporomandibular joint disc displacement without reduction, and the choice of technique should consider the clinical characteristics of each patient.