Introduction: The majority of people who suffer from temporomandibular disorders (TMD) opt for medical help when they encounter severe chronic pain. With a change in treatment modality, it is seen that botulinum toxin (BTX) has gained much popularity. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to assess the current status of BTX in the management of TMD and how effective it is to treat the pain and other associated symptoms seen in patients affected with TMD.
Material and Methods: A detailed electronic literature search was conducted, including specified inclusion criteria to identify all the relevant high evidence-based randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, they then assessed for bias using a framework outlined in the Cochrane Handbook.
Results: After thorough selection criteria, 5 Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) were included in the study. The review's primary focus was assessing pain level by using different diagnostic tools to qualitatively observe the effectiveness of botulinum toxin in the management of temporomandibular myofascial pain. The secondary outcomes included measurement of changes in mouth opening, psychological status, day-to-day functional and social activities, and muscle hyperactivity.
Conclusion: The results from the included studies in the review support the benefits of BTX in reducing the symptoms associated with TMD, but further research is required to show the effectiveness of BTX. To achieve a clear understanding of the benefits of BTX in TMD, RCT with a large sample size, homogeneous study design, longer follow-up period, and based on a standardized diagnostic method must be performed.
