IntroductionTemporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a general term for clinical problems in temporomandibular joints (TMJs), masticatory muscles, and surrounding tissues, which manifest as limitations in motion and joint sounds. 1 TMD is the second most-common skeletal-muscular problem and one of the most common chronic problems involving orofacial pain, discomfort and disability. Approximately 75% of the population has several symptoms of TMD and 33% have at least one symptom.
2-5The etiology of TMD, especially muscle pain, is multifactorial and includes parafunctional habits, trauma, stress, heredity and occlusal factors 5 ; thus, conservative and reversible treatment, especially during initial periods, is recommended. 5,6 Several treatments have been suggested to control pain and symptoms. These include orthopedic stabilization, intraoral devices, medications (analgesics, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and placebos) and physical therapy. 5 The aim of physical therapy is muscle relaxation, a decrease in pain, spasms, swelling and inflammation, and joint stability.
Methods:In this single-blind study, 40 patients with temporomandibular disorders were randomly divided into four groups: TENS (TENSTem dental), LLL (diode 810 nm CW), sham-TENS, and sham-LLL. All subjects were examined and data on pain and tenderness in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and masticatory muscles (using the visual analogue scale) and mouth-opening (distance between incisal edges before feeling pain; mm) were collected before baseline (T1), after each session (T2-T5) and one month after the end of the sessions (T6)), and analyzed using repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni statistical tests. A P value < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results:The decrease in pain (P = 0.000), tenderness (P = 0.000) and increase in mouth-opening ability (P = 0.002) was greater in the TENS and LLL groups than in the placebo groups. At the one-month follow-up, significant decrease in pain and tenderness was recorded in the TENS and LLL groups (P = 0.000). There was no significant differences between TENS and LLL and the placebo groups for maximum mouth-opening at the end of the study (P = 0.692). Conclusion: Using TENS or LLL therapy can improve TMD symptoms at least for the short term. Although the effects of the placebo played a role in improving symptoms, their effects were less important.