THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BOTULINUM TOXIN AS AN ADJUNCT THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DYSFUNCTION AND BRUXISM

Abstract

The use of botulinum toxin in orofacial harmonization has become increasingly common among dental professionals, particularly due to its high efficacy in treating problems caused by excessive muscle tension in the orofacial region. Patients with bruxism, for example, can derive significant benefits from the use of botulinum toxin, which helps temporarily relax the muscles responsible for chewing. The objective of this study was to analyze the efficacy of botulinum toxin as a therapeutic option for TMD and bruxism. This study was designed as a literature review, employing a qualitative and exploratory-descriptive approach, using the following databases: Scientific Electronic Library Online (ScieLO), National Library of Medicine (PubMed), ScienceDirect, and CAPES Journals. The inclusion criteria were full-text articles available as free-access PDFs, published between 2019 and 2025, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, that addressed the application of botulinum toxin in orofacial harmonization. Articles that did not provide the full text, duplicate articles, preprints, and those not directly related to the proposed topic were excluded. First, we identified 164 studies for this study, including 120 articles in the National Library of Medicine (PubMed) database, 15 in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (ScieLO), 18 in ScienceDirect, and 11 in the CAPES Journals database. Immediately thereafter, after applying the previously defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 8 articles were selected for this study. It is concluded that it is important to emphasize the need for more randomized clinical trials, with larger sample sizes and long-term follow-up, to establish standardized protocols and increase the level of scientific evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin in this treatment.