Investigation of the effects of three conservative treatment methods on temporomandibular disorders

To compare the effect (short-term and long-term) of three treatment methods using splint, low level laser and combination of low level laser and splint on complications of TMD.

This study is a randomized clinical trial.

30 patients with orofacial pain who are referred to the Department of the prosthesis at Dental School of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, are recruited according to the mentioned inclusion and exclusion criteria. All patients are examined and diagnosed with a temporomandibular joint disorder according to RDC / TMD criteria are included in the study. The patient is asked to sign the informed consent form. Patients are randomly allocated to three groups of stabilization splint, low power laser therapy, and combination therapy (low power laser + stabilization splint).

Major inclusion criteria: Age 18-60, Chronic orofacial pain (more than three months) with or without restriction in opening the mouth, Diagnosis of Temporomandibular disorder (pain-related or intra-articular disorders) based on the RDC / TMD diagnostic criteria. Major exclusion criteria: Recent fracture of mandibular bone, History of recent facial trauma, Congenital/developmental disorders of the jaw, History of previous treatment for TMD during the last month, Systemic musculoskeletal disease, Fibromyalgia., Previous or current history of cancer, Skin lesions at the laser site, Pregnancy.

Three groups: Stabilization splint treatment, low-level laser treatment, and combination treatment (low-level laser + Stabilization splint).

Outcomes include the severity of pain, the extent of maximal opening of the patient's mouth, the extent of the patient's maximum ability to perform lateral and anterior mandibular movements, and the extent of limitation of jaw functions.

Patients were randomly allocated to 3 treatment groups. A central randomization unit was contacted by phone to ensure allocation concealment and assign the enrolled patient to each treatment group. The central randomization unit had prepared a list of numbers from 1 to 30 that were allocated randomly to 3 equal groups using a website (https://www.random.org.) which generated a list of random numbers in 3 columns. Before randomization, the first column was considered the Stabilization splint treatment group, the second column the low level laser treatment group, and the third column the combination treatment group (low level laser + Stabilization splint).