RESUMO
PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of NG-methyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA) for treatment of indirect temporomandibular joint trauma in goats. METHODS: Trauma to TMJ in 9 goats were exerted under an impact to the right and left mandibular angle with self-made device, L-NMMA (0.5 mL) were injected into the right TMJs after 3 hours, 7 days, 14 days, 21 days; the left TMJs were injected with normal saline and used as a control. The goats were killed after 3 months. The TMJs of goats were examined with scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy when sacrificed and scored in a subjective manner following the standard criteria which was a modification of the method by Mankin et al and Yoshimi et al. GLM model of SAS 9.0 software package was used to evaluate the scores of the treatment sides and control sides. RESULTS: Under light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, the left TMJ tissues showed severe osteoarthrotic changes in the temporal surface,disk and condyle, the right TMJ tissues showed significant improvement (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Repeated intra-articular injection of L-NMMA may reduce the destruction of indirect trauma on goat TMJs.