Abstract
Aims
Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a complex process that affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The multifactorial process is of unknown etiology and has many manifestations and thus many management options. Photobiomodulation therapy has been suggested for management of TMD, despite the lack of understanding of its exact mechanism. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of photobiomodulation in the treatment of myofascial type TMD.
Methods
Patients with unilateral TMJ and masticatory muscles pain during function were recruited and divided into two groups: a control group that received a sham laser treatment every 48 h for 10 days and a test group that received the same frequency of treatment to deliver a dose of 257 J per treatment and a total dose of 1285 J for the entire treatment. Pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS).
Results
There was a significant difference in VAS scores between the test and control groups with the test group scoring lower.
Conclusion
Photobiomodulation therapy proved to be an effective short-term therapeutic modality for myofascial TMD pain. It is non-invasive, easy to apply with no systemic side effects. Its long-term effect and its effect on different subtypes of TMD need further investigation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Schiffman E, Ohrbach R, Truelove E, Look J, Anderson G, Goulet JP et al (2014) Diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD) for clinical and research applications: recommendations of the International RDC/TMD Consortium Network* and Orofacial Pain Special Interest Group†. J Oral Facial Pain Headache 28(1):6–27. https://doi.org/10.11607/jop.1151
Okeso J (2007) Management of temporomandibular disorders and occlusion, 7th edn. Elsevier, St. Louis
Suenaga S, Abeyama K, Indo H, Shigeta K, Noikura T (2001) Temporomandibular disorders: MR assessment of inflammatory changes in the posterior disk attachment during the menstrual cycle. J Comput Assist Tomogr 25(3):476–481
Hosgor H, Bas B, Celenk C (2017) A comparison of the outcomes of four minimally invasive treatment methods for anterior disc displacement of the temporomandibular joint. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 46(11):1403–1410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijom.2017.05.010
Sakurai Y, Yamaguchi M, Abiko Y (2000) Inhibitory effect of low-level laser irradiation on LPS-stimulated prostaglandin E2 production and cyclooxygenase-2 in human gingival fibroblasts. Eur J Oral Sci 108(1):29–34
Carvalho CM, Lacerda JA, dos Santos Neto FP, de Castro IC, Ramos TA, de Lima FO et al (2011) Evaluation of laser phototherapy in the inflammatory process of the rat’s TMJ induced by carrageenan. Photomed Laser Surg 29(4):245–254. https://doi.org/10.1089/pho.2009.2685
Khalighi HR, Mortazavi H, Mojahedi SM, Azari-Marhabi S, Moradi Abbasabadi F (2016) Low level laser therapy versus pharmacotherapy in improving myofascial pain disorder syndrome. J Lasers Med Sci 7(1):45–50. https://doi.org/10.15171/jlms.2016.10
Chen J, Huang Z, Ge M, Gao M (2015) Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the treatment of TMDs: a meta-analysis of 14 randomised controlled trials. J Oral Rehabil 42(4):291–299. https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.12258
Carrasco TG, Mazzetto MO, Mazzetto RG, Mestriner W Jr (2008) Low intensity laser therapy in temporomandibular disorder: a phase II double-blind study. Cranio 26(4):274–281. https://doi.org/10.1179/crn.2008.037
Mazzetto MO, Carrasco TG, Bidinelo EF, de Andrade Pizzo RC, Mazzetto RG (2007) Low intensity laser application in temporomandibular disorders: a phase I double-blind study. Cranio 25(3):186–192. https://doi.org/10.1179/crn.2007.029
Venancio Rde A, Camparis CM, Lizarelli Rde F (2005) Low intensity laser therapy in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders: a double-blind study. J Oral Rehabil 32(11):800–807. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2842.2005.01516.x
Demirkol N, Sari F, Bulbul M, Demirkol M, Simsek I, Usumez A (2015) Effectiveness of occlusal splints and low-level laser therapy on myofascial pain. Lasers Med Sci 30(3):1007–1012. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-014-1522-7
Marini I, Bartolucci ML, Bortolotti F, Innocenti G, Gatto MR, Alessandri Bonetti G (2015) The effect of diode superpulsed low-level laser therapy on experimental orthodontic pain caused by elastomeric separators: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Lasers Med Sci 30(1):35–41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-013-1345-y
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
All authors declare no conflict of interest.
Ethical Standard
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed Consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nadershah, M., Abdel-Alim, H.M., Bayoumi, A.M. et al. Photobiomodulation Therapy for Myofascial Pain in Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction: A Double-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial. J. Maxillofac. Oral Surg. 19, 93–97 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12663-019-01222-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12663-019-01222-z