The effects of low-level laser therapy and microcurrent electrical neural stimulation in the management of myofascial pain dysfunction of temporomandibular joint : a clinical comparative study

Abstract EN

Background : Pain relief and re-establishment of normal jaw function are the main goals of conservative management of temporomandibular disorders (TMD).

Microcurrent electrical neural stimulation (MENS) and Low Level Laser therapy (LLLT) are types of those modalities.

The aims of the study: To observe the effect of LLLT and MENS therapy in the treatment of the myofacial pain dysfunction of TMJ and to compare between the effectiveness of these two treatment modalities.

Materials and Methods : This research was carried out on a sample consisting of (34) dental students with myofascial pain dysfunction of TMJ.

They were divided into two groups; one group was treated by MENS and the other by LLLT, all students in both groups were given ten therapeutic sessions over period of one month and each case was followed up by the parameters of the study which include, the pain intensity measured by VAS as a subjective parameter and the assessment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) functional status through measuring the improvement of mouth opening (active and passive), lateral motion (right and left) along with the number of TMJ tender points as an objective parameters.

Results : The subjective parameter (pain intensity) was reduced in both groups after therapy, but this reduction was highly significant (p value < 0.01) in LLLT group while it was non significant in MENS group.

all objective parameters (active and passive mouth opening, lateral motion, and number of tender points) showed a highly significant improvement with LLLT (p value < 0.01) but with MENS therapy, a highly significant improvement (p value < 0.01) was obtained in lateral movement and number of tender points while non significant changes have been observed in active and passive mouth openings (p value > 0.05).

Conclusions : Myofacial pain dysfunction of TMJ is a common TMJ problem in dental students, especially females.

LLLT and MENS therapy are effective therapeutic modalities in myofacial pain dysfunction of TMJ through analgesic and functional improvement, but LLLT is superior to MENS as a therapeutic modality in cases of myofacial pain dysfunction of TMJ from the qualitative and quantitative perspectives of therapeutic effectiveness.