Lasertherapy efficacy in temporomandibular disorders: control study

Temporomandibular dysfunction is characterized by the presence of painful joint/muscular symptoms muscle in the face. The main justification for the use of lasers in laser therapy dysfunction is its analgesic effect, which was observed in most studies in the literature. Aim: We evaluated the effectiveness of laser therapy in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders. Methods: 50 volunteers with temporomandibular disorders were divided into two groups (control and experimental) had amplitudes of movements of mouth opening, right and left laterality recorded before and after laser application. Was also recorded, the score the individual gave to pain by visual analog scale and, through physical examination, the pain points. We used the AsGaAl laser with a 40mW power, with 80J/cm2 for 16 seconds at four selected points for just one session with reassessment after a week. Study design: Clinical. Results: It was noted that laser therapy increased the mean amplitude of mandibular movements (p = 0.0317) and decreased significantly (43.6%) the pain intensity measured by the visual analog scale. Conclusions: The laser decreases the painful symptoms of the patient after application through its analgesic and/or a placebo effect.