Low-level Laser Therapy in the Management of Temporomandibular Disorders

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of different wavelengths of laser irradiation in the management of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) by measuring the pain reduction using visual analogue scale (VAS).

Methods: Study involved 40 patients with TMD. The criteria for inclusion in the study were: diagnosis of chronic idiopathic orofacial pain syndrome, absence of systemic diseases that might be involved, absence of local oral factors that might be involved, orofacial pain during the last 14 days, no other therapy one month before and during the study. 20 patients in each syndrome-group were treated with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) 660nm Ga-Al-As diode laser, another 20 with 810nm Ga-Al-As diode laser. To test the difference of VAS values before and after the laser therapy with the same laser type, Wilcoxon test for paired samples was used. To test the difference of VAS values between two laser types before and after the therapy, Mann-Whitney test was used.

Results: No significant difference in VAS values was found between the two groups of patients before the laser treatment (P=0.390). When two groups of patients were compared after the laser treatment with two laser types, median VAS value was significantly lower in the group that was treated with 810nm laser (3 (2.000-5.000)) than in the group that was treated with 660nm laser (6 (5.000-6.500); P=0.021).
In the group that was treated with 660nm laser, no statistically significant difference was found in VAS values before and after the treatment (P=0.188). In the group of the patients that was treated with 810nm laser, median VAS value before the therapy (7(6.000-8.500) was significantly higher than median VAS value after the therapy (3(2.000-5.000); P<0.001).

Conclusions: LLLT with 810nm wavelength laser has proven as an effective intervention in reducing pain in TMD patients.