Effectiveness of Laser Acupuncture for Reducing Pain and Increasing Mouth Opening Range in Individuals with Temporomandibular Disorder: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to assess the effectiveness of laser acupuncture (LA) on pain intensity and maximum mouth opening range (MMO) in patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD).
Results Summary
The study found mixed results, with five studies evaluating pain intensity (four with high risk of bias, one with low risk), two evaluating pain on palpation (one high, one low risk), and one high-risk study evaluating MMO. The GRADE system indicated varying certainty of evidence.
Population
Patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD).
Effective Dosage
Laser parameters: 690-810 nm, 40-150 mW, and 7.5-112.5 J/cm².
Duration
Not specified.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Laser acupuncture (LA) | neutral | musculoskeletal disorders | - | - | demonstrates promising results | #1 |
Laser acupuncture (LA) | neutral | pain intensity | patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) | - | assess the effectiveness | #2 |
Laser acupuncture (LA) | neutral | maximum mouth opening range (MMO) | patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) | - | assess the effectiveness | #3 |
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Laser acupuncture (LA) demonstrates promising results in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. However, its effects on temporomandibular disorder (TMD) are not yet fully understood. Thus, the aim of this systematic review and network meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of LA on pain intensity and maximum mouth opening range (MMO) related to TMD. A search was carried out in 11 electronic databases and references of included studies to locate randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated LA as a primary treatment for TMD. The risk of bias was assessed using the RoB 2 tool. Network meta-analysis was conducted on the MetaInsight platform, considering the pain intensity and counseling (C) as the outcome of reference. The GRADE system was used to assess the certainty of the evidence. RECENT FINDINGS: Five studies evaluated pain intensity, four with a high risk of bias and one with a low risk. Two studies evaluated pain intensity on palpation (one with high and one with low risk of bias), and one study with high risk of bias evaluated MMO. Laser parameters were: 690-810 nm, 40-150 mW, and 7.5-112.5 J/cm