Top

Published in:

01-04-2015 | Original Article

Effectiveness of occlusal splints and low-level laser therapy on myofascial pain

Authors: Nermin Demirkol, Fatih Sari, Mehmet Bulbul, Mehmet Demirkol, Irfan Simsek, Aslihan Usumez

Published in: Lasers in Medical Science | Issue 3/2015

Abstract

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of low-level laser (Nd:YAG) therapy and occlusal splints in patients with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) characterized with myofascial pain (MP). A total of 30 patients were selected after being diagnosed with MP according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TDM). The patients were divided into three groups. The first group was occlusal splint (OS) group A (n = 10), the second was low-level laser therapy (LLLT) group B (n = 10), and the last group C was placebo (n = 10). LLLT (1,064 nm, 8 j/cm², 250 mW, Fotona) was applied to the patients in the study group once a day for 10 days, for a total of ten sessions. The same parameters and application times were used for placebo group, but the patients were not irradiated. The application was on the trigger points. The patients in the OS group were instructed to wear occlusal splints 12 h/day for 3 weeks. Functional examination was based on RDC/TDM, and pressure pain values were obtained with the Visual Analog Scale. Comparisons were made between the groups before and after the treatment according to Wilcoxon, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis tests. The pain score values decreased significantly after both LLLT (p < 0.05) and occlusal splint therapy (p < 0.05) compared to placebo group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between LLLT and OS groups after treatment (p > 0.05). OS and LLLT are effective for decreasing MP. In addition, this particular type of LLLT is as effective as occlusal splint for pain relief.

Venezian GC, da Silva MA, Mazzetto RG, Mazzetto MO (2010) Low level laser effect on pain to palpation and electromyographic activity in TMD patients a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Cranio 28:84–91PubMed

Fricton JR (2004) The relationship of temporomandibular disorders and fibromyalgia: implications for diagnosis and treatment. Curr Pain Headache Rep 8:355–363CrossRefPubMed

Cairns B (2010) Pathophysiology of TMD pain—basic mechanisms and their implications for pharmacotherapy. J Oral Rehabil 37:391–410CrossRefPubMed

Dworkin SF (2010) Research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders: current status & future relevance. J Oral Rehabil 37:734–743CrossRefPubMed

Svensson P, Graven-Nielsen T (2001) Craniofacial muscle pain: review of mechanisms and clinical manifestations. J Orofac Pain 15:117–145PubMed

Carrasco TG, Guerisoli LD, Guerisoli DM, Mazzetto MO (2009) Evaluation of low intensity laser therapy in myofascial pain syndrome. Cranio 27:243–247PubMed

Fernández-Carnero J, La Touche R, Ortega-Santiago R, Galan-del-Rio F, Pesquera J, Ge HY, Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C (2010) Short-term effects of dry needling of active myofascial trigger points in the masseter muscle in patients with temporomandibular disorders. J Orofac Pain 24:106–112PubMed

Shah JP, Phillips TM, Danoff JV, Gerber LH (2005) An in vivo microanalytical technique for measuring the local biochemical milieu of human skeletal muscle. J Appl Physiol 99:1977–1984CrossRefPubMed

Simons DG, Travel JG, Simons LS (1999) Travell and Simons’ myofascial pain and dysfunction: the Trigger Point Manual. Vol 1 Upper half of body. Williams and Wilkins, Maryland, Baltimore

10.

Öz S, Gökçen-Röhlig B, Saruhanoglu A, Tuncer EB (2010) Management of myofascial pain: low-level laser therapy versus occlusal splints. J Craniofac Surg 21:1722–1728CrossRefPubMed

11.

Venancio Rde A, Camparis CM, Lizarelli Rde F (2005) Low intensity laser therapy in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders: a double‐blind study. J Oral Rehabil 32:800–807CrossRefPubMed

12.

Okeson JP (2003) Management of temporomandibular disorders and occlusion. Mosby, St. Louis

13.

Dundar U, Evcik D, Samli F, Pusak H, Kavuncu V (2007) The effect of gallium arsenide aluminum laser therapy in the management of cervical myofascial pain syndrome: a double blind, placebo-controlled study. Clin Rheumatol 26:930–934CrossRefPubMed

14.

Maia ML, Bonjardim LR, Quintans Jde S, Ribeiro MA, Maia LG, Conti PC (2012) Effect of low-level laser therapy on pain levels in patients with temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review. J Appl Oral Sci 20:594–602CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

15.

Miserendino LJ, Pick R (1995) Laser in Dentistry. Illinois, Chicago

16.

López-Ramírez M, Vílchez-Pérez MA, Gargallo-Albiol J, Arnabat-Domínguez J, Gay-Escoda C (2012) Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of pain, facial swelling, and postoperative trismus after a lower third molar extraction. A preliminary study. Lasers Med Sci 27:559–566CrossRefPubMed

17.

Carvalho CM, de Lacerda JA, dos Santos Neto FP, Cangussu MC, Marques AM, Pinheiro AL (2010) Wavelength effect in temporomandibular joint pain: a clinical experience. Lasers Med Sci 25:229–232CrossRefPubMed

18.

Katsoulis J, Ausfeld-Hafter B, Windecker-Gétaz I, Katsoulis K, Blagojevic N, Mericske-Stern R (2010) Laser acupuncture for myofascial pain of the masticatory muscles. A controlled pilot study. Schweiz Monatsschr Zahnmed 120:213–225PubMed

19.

Tengrungsun T, Mitriattanakul S, Buranaprasertsuk P, Suddhasthir T (2012) Is low level laser effective for the treatment of orofacial pain?: a systematic review. Cranio 30:280–285PubMed

20.

Shirani AM, Gutknecht N, Taghizadeh M, Mir M (2009) Low-level laser therapy and myofacial pain dysfunction syndrome: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Lasers Med Sci 24:715–720CrossRefPubMed

21.

Carrasco TG, Mazzetto MO, Mazzetto RG, Mestriner W Jr (2008) Low intensity laser therapy in temporomandibular disorder: a phase II double-blind study. Cranio 26:274–281PubMed

22.

Usumez A, Cengiz B, Oztuzcu S, Demir T, Aras MH, Gutknecht N (2013) Effects of laser irradiation at different wavelengths (660, 810, 980, and 1,064 nm) on mucositis in an animal model of wound healing. Lasers Med Sci [Epub ahead of print]

23.

Tunér J, Hode L (2004) The laser therapy handbook. Prima Books, Grängesberg, pp 236–240

24.

Melis M, Di Giosia M, Zawawi KH (2012) Low level laser therapy for the treatment of temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review of the literature. Cranio 30:304–312PubMed

25.

da Silva MA, Botelho AL, Turim CV, da Silva AM (2012) Low level laser therapy as an adjunctive technique in the management of temporomandibular disorders. Cranio 30:264–271PubMed

26.

Barão VA, Gallo AK, Zuim PR, Garcia AR, Assunção WG (2011) Effect of occlusal splint treatment on the temperature of different muscles in patients with TMD. J Prosthodont Res 55:19–23CrossRefPubMed

27.

Vieira e Silva CA, da Silva MA, Melchior Mde O, de Felício CM, Sforza C, Tartaglia GM (2012) Treatment for TMD with occlusal splint and electromyographic control: application of the FARC protocol in a Brazilian population. Cranio 30:218–226PubMed

28.

Salmos-Brito JA, de Menezes RF, Teixeira CE, Gonzaga RK, Rodrigues BH, Braz R, Bessa-Nogueira RV, Gerbi ME (2013) Evaluation of low-level laser therapy in patients with acute and chronic temporomandibular disorders. Lasers Med Sci 28:57–64CrossRefPubMed

29.

Mazzetto MO, Hotta TH, Pizzo RC (2010) Measurements of jaw movements and TMJ pain intensity in patients treated with GaAlAs laser. Braz Dent J 21:356–360CrossRefPubMed

30.

Marini I, Gatto MR, Bonetti GA (2010) Effects of superpulsed low-level laser therapy on temporomandibular joint pain. Clin J Pain 26:611–616CrossRefPubMed

31.

Kogawa EM, Kato MT, Santos CN, Conti PC (2005) Evaluation of the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and the microelectric neurostimulation (MENS) in the treatment of myogenic temporomandibular disorders: a randomized clinical trial. J Appl Oral Sci 13:280–285CrossRefPubMed

32.

Kulekcioglu S, Sivrioglu K, Ozcan O, Parlak M (2003) Effectiveness of low-level laser therapy in temporomandibular disorder. Scand J Rheumatol 32:114–118CrossRefPubMed

33.

Amorim CF, Vasconcelos Paes FJ, de Faria Junior NS, de Oliveira LV, Politti F (2012) Electromyographic analysis of masseter and anterior temporalis muscle in sleep bruxers after occlusal splint wearing. J Bodyw Mov Ther 16:199–203CrossRefPubMed

34.

Chang SW, Chuang CY, Li JR, Lin CY, Chiu CT (2010) Treatment effects of maxillary flat occlusal splints for painful clicking of the temporomandibular joint. Kaohsiung J Med Sci 26:299–307CrossRefPubMed

35.

Emshoff R, Bösch R, Pümpel E, Schöning H, Strobl H (2008) Low-level laser therapy for treatment of temporomandibular joint pain: a double-blind and placebo-controlled trial. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 105:452–456CrossRefPubMed

Title: Effectiveness of occlusal splints and low-level laser therapy on myofascial pain
Authors: Nermin Demirkol
Fatih Sari
Mehmet Bulbul
Mehmet Demirkol
Irfan Simsek
Aslihan Usumez
Publication date: 01-04-2015
Publisher: Springer London
Published in: Lasers in Medical Science / Issue 3/2015
Print ISSN: 0268-8921
Electronic ISSN: 1435-604X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-014-1522-7

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Effectiveness of occlusal splints and low-level laser therapy on myofascial pain

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 3/2015

Effect of laser irradiation on the fluoride uptake of silver diamine fluoride treated dentine

Evaluation of the effects of conventional versus laser bleaching techniques on enamel microroughness

The effectiveness of low-level laser therapy in accelerating orthodontic tooth movement: a meta-analysis

Effect of Er,Cr:YSGG laser application in the treatment of experimental periodontitis

Immediate effects of low-intensity laser (808 nm) on fatigue and strength of spastic muscle

The dose-dependence biological effect of laser fluence on rabbit fibroblasts derived from urethral scar