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Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology
Published on: August 22, 2022
Ceiling effects, mechanistic mismatch, and the need for standardized reporting in autologous concentrates for
Carlos Fernando Mourão1, Luiz Eduardo Juliasse2,3, Rodrigo Dos Santos Pereira2,3
1Department of Basic and Clinical Translational Sciences, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. carlos.mourao@tufts.edu.
This letter addresses methodological considerations in a recent randomized controlled trial comparing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid (HA) after temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthrocentesis. We highlight a ceiling effect in which the control group achieved near-complete symptom resolution, leaving no room for adjunctive treatments to demonstrate superiority. We discuss the mechanistic mismatch between regenerative (PRP) and biomechanical (HA) approaches and emphasize the critical need for standardized PRP reporting. A systematic review found that only 10% of PRP clinical trials provided comprehensive protocol reporting. We recommend that future studies adopt minimum reporting standards, including relative centrifugal force, platelet concentration, leukocyte content, and activation method, to enable cross-study comparisons and advance the field toward precision medicine approaches in TMJ disorders.
This letter addresses methodological considerations in a recent randomized controlled trial comparing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid (HA) after temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthrocentesis. We highlight a ceiling effect in which the control group achieved near-complete symptom resolution, leaving no room for adjunctive treatments to demonstrate superiority. We discuss the mechanistic mismatch between regenerative (PRP) and biomechanical (HA) approaches and emphasize the critical need for standardized PRP reporting. A systematic review found that only 10% of PRP clinical trials provided comprehensive protocol reporting. We recommend that future studies adopt minimum reporting standards, including relative centrifugal force, platelet concentration, leukocyte content, and activation method, to enable cross-study comparisons and advance the field toward precision medicine approaches in TMJ disorders.
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