Intra-Articular Monoclonal Antibodies in Temporomandibular Joint Disorders: Current Evidence

Abstract

Immune-mediated temporomandibular joint disorders involve cytokine-driven inflammation and may represent a target for biologic therapy. This paper summarizes the evidence on intra-articular monoclonal antibody administration in temporomandibular joint disorders. PubMed, Europe PMC, and BASE were searched from inception to 7 April 2026 for clinical and preclinical studies evaluating intra-articular monoclonal antibodies in the temporomandibular joint. Four studies were identified: two retrospective clinical studies, one case report, and one preclinical study. All four studies investigated local TNF-α blockade: the three clinical studies used infliximab, whereas the preclinical study used an anti-rabbit TNF-α monoclonal antibody. Symptomatic benefit was confined to one adult case and anti-inflammatory effects to the preclinical study, whereas pediatric MRI abnormalities persisted or worsened, providing no evidence of structural efficacy. The evidence remains limited, heterogeneous, and exploratory. Intra-articular monoclonal antibody therapy is biologically plausible, but its clinical efficacy and safety require further investigation.