Abstract: Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis(TMJOA) is characterized by progressive cartilage degeneration and subchondral bone sclerosis, which is the severe damage stage of temporomandibular joint disorder. The clinical symptoms include pain, joint crepitus, joint sounds and limitation in mouth opening, which seriously affect the patient's life quality. Non-surgical treatment is the preferred treatment, among which there are different drug therapies used in clinics, which plays an important role in relieving symptoms and improving functions. This review elaborates biological principles, clinical efficacy and research progress of the drug therapy of TMJOA in order to provide guidance for drug selection of TMJOA treatment.