Pharmacologic therapy of cranio-cervico-mandibular disorders. Review of the literature

The recommended treatments of craniomandibular disorders (CMD) are drug therapy, physiotherapy, relaxation procedures, occlusal therapy with and without splint. The purpose of this study is to carry out a survey of the literature on drug therapy in patients affected by CMD. It is essential to recognize the cause of pain (muscular or articular) and the phase of disorder (acute or chronic) in order to establish an adequate pharmacological protocol for each type of CMD. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are generally accepted for treatment of internal derangement and myofacial pain, sometimes in association with benzodiazepine.