Overview of Systematic Reviews on Septic Arthritis of the Temporomandibular Joint (SATMJ)

TL;DR

This paper reviews existing studies on septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint to compare findings on causes, diagnosis, and treatment.

Contribution

It identifies inconsistencies in prior reviews and highlights the need for a more comprehensive synthesis.

Findings

Three systematic reviews were included, with varying case numbers and overlapping source reports.

Reviews agree on possible odontogenic causes and pharmacotherapy's superiority but differ on chronic disease impact and antibiotic choice.

SATMJ can lead to severe, potentially lethal complications and lacks clear management guidelines.

Abstract

Objectives: This overview of systematic reviews was carried out following the PRIOR guidelines. It aimed to collect and compare the results of systematic reviews on the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment standards of septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint. Methods: ACM, BASE, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus were searched on 5 January 2025, for systematic reviews on SATMJ etiology and treatment. Records underwent selection, AMSTAR 2 evaluation, data extraction, and qualitative synthesis. Results: Three systematic reviews were included, covering 38 reports (93 cases), 37 reports (91 cases), and 25 reports (40 cases), respectively. There are seven source reports common to all three reviews. The reviews co-indicate possible odontogenic etiology, differ in opinions about the impact of chronic diseases, and agree on the superiority of pharmacotherapy, though without consensus on specific antibiotics. Severe complications of SATMJ, including potentially lethal ones, were reported. Conclusions: SATMJ is a serious condition requiring urgent and precise medical intervention, yet no clear management guidelines exist. The low overlap and inconsistency of the previous systematic reviews provide a foundation for a more comprehensive synthesis.

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