title: Pharmacologic treatments for temporomandibular disorders.
abstract: Drugs are widely used in the management of acute and chronic orofacial pain. Whereas the use of analgesics for acute orofacial pain is well documented through hundreds of controlled clinical trials, the use of a broad spectrum of drugs for chronic pain is based on very few studies. In the absence of data supporting a therapeutic benefit for a drug used chronically for pain, toxicity associated with the drug can still occur. It is critical, therefore, to assess the balance between therapeutic benefit and safety. This article reviews current evidence supporting the use of several drug classes for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and identifies therapeutic controversies in need of further research.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Anesthesiology Branch, National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dionne
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D001569:Benzodiazepines