Effectiveness of conservative therapeutic modalities for temporomandibular disorders-related pain: a systematic review

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of conservative different therapeutic modalities for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) pain.

Materials and methods: An electronic systematic search was conducted in the MEDLINE (PubMed) database to identify the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published between 2001 and 2021. The following, simple or multiple conjunctions, search keywords were selected: TMD pain, TMD management or conservative treatment or treatment strategies and TMD pain, therapeutic modalities or interventions and TMD. Studies included must have patients older than 18 years, with painful TMD, which diagnosis was performed by Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD or Diagnostic Criteria for TMD. Outcome variables were pain relief and post treatment pain intensity reduction. Data were analysed with non-parametric tests and the level of significance was set at p<.05.

Results: Out of 1599 articles obtained, 28 RCTs fulfilled all selection criteria and were included. The results of this study show that there was a significant decrease in short-term post-treatment TMD pain with the use of occlusal splint alone or in combination with other therapeutic modalities when compared with the control group. Statistically significant differences were also detected between laser and photobiomodulation group and the control, in short-term treatment TMD-related pain.

Conclusions: The primary findings of the present systematic review showed that the occlusal splint alone or combined with other therapeutic intervention presented positive effect on short-term TMD pain reduction. Secondary outcome suggests that laser and photobiomodulation therapy had, also, a significant role in short term pain relief.

Keywords: Occlusal splint; laser therapy; photobiomodulation; therapeutic modalities of TMD.