Perception of patients with temporomandibular disorders of the effects of botulinum toxin application: a retrospective cross-sectional observational study.

Authors

Franco Ignáccio Mallaguti, José Geraldo Mallaguti, Otacilio de Paula Rodrigues Júnior, Brenda Moliterno de Carvalho, Analia Gabriella Borges Ferraz Facury, Ana Paula Ayres Oliveira

Published in

Clinical oral investigations. Volume 30. Issue 9. Aug 08, 2026. Epub Aug 08, 2026.

Abstract

To evaluate patient-reported changes in orofacial and masticatory symptoms after BoNT-A application in individuals presenting bruxism-related complaints.
A retrospective cross-sectional observacional study was conducted with 61 adult participants (47 women, 14 men) who underwent BoNT-A treatment for bruxism. An online questionnaire, assessed masticatory and orofacial symptoms before and after treatment, using a five-point frequency scale. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and Spearman's correlation (p < 0.05). This observational study was reported in accordance with the STROBE guidelines.
A statistically significant reduction in total symptom scores was observed after treatment (p < 0.05), with a mean decrease from 32.4 ± 11.5 (before) to 15.6 ± 6.59 (after), representing an overall reduction of approximately 52%. No significant differences in symptom improvement were observed between sexes or in relation to age. Although an overall difference among professional categories was identified, post hoc analysis did not show significant pairwise differences between groups.
Individuals with bruxism-related complaints reported improvement in pain-related and masticatory symptoms after BoNT-A application. BoNT-A may represent a supportive approach for managing orofacial and muscle-related complaints; however, further studies with standardized diagnostic criteria and objective outcome measures are needed to clarify its long-term clinical effects.
BoNT-A application may contribute to the management of pain-related and masticatory complaints reported by individuals with bruxism-related symptoms, supporting its potential use as an adjunctive approach in selected clinical situations.

PMID:
42567938
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 08 Aug 2026.

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