Resumo

NASCIMENTO, Mirella Marques Mercês do; PORTO, Gabriela Granja; NOGUEIRA, Cyntia Medeiros  e  VASCONCELOS, Belmiro Cavalcanti do Egito. Anesthetic blockage of the auriculotemporal nerve and its clinical implications. Odontol. Clín.-Cient. (Online) [online]. 2011, vol.10, n.2, pp. 143-146. ISSN 1677-3888.

PURPOSE: the aim of this study was to evaluate the use of anesthetic blockage of the auriculotemporal nerve as a treatment for temporomandibular joint disorders. METHODS: the sample comprised of ten patients with temporomandibular disorders classified as group Ia, IIa and IIIa according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. The blockage of the auriculotemporal nerve was performed with 1 ml of bupivacaine 0.5% without vasoconstrictor for 8 weeks. The maximal mouth opening, jaw protrusion and pain were evaluated at the following time: baseline, 1st week, 8th week and after two months of the treatment. For statistical analysis the F test (ANOVA) was used with a level of significance of 5%. RESULTS: two months after the end of treatment, the anesthetic blockage had decreased the pain, with a significant diff erence (p=0.006). The treatment resulted in an increase in maximal mouth opening (p=0.406) and improved the movement of protusion (p=0.018). CONCLUSION: anesthetic blockage of the auriculotemporal nerve may be used in acute cases of pain in the temporomandibular joint. Therefore the treatment proposed does not seem to be efficacious for reducing pain in temporomandibular joint disorders in a long term follow-up

Palavras-chave : Temporomandibular Joint; Abnormolities; Nerve block; Anesthetic local.