Physical therapy for temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain

Abstract

In the past year, physical therapy has been increasingly advocated as a standard part of the multidisciplinary approach to treating temporomandibular disorders and other orofacial pain conditions. This literature has focused primarily on review articles of the characteristics, indications, and efficacy of physical therapy interventions, which generally include exercises and modalities. However, most of the evidence regarding physical therapy is from clinical reports and lacks well-controlled studies. The purpose of this review is to discuss the current literature in the context of past literature supporting the clinical use of physical therapy for orofacial pain.