Effectiveness of laserpuncture in temporomandibular disorders a randomized clinical study

• Grant number: 22/07961-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2022
• End date: August 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Social and Preventive Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Maria da Luz Rosario de Sousa
• Grantee: Maria da Luz Rosario de Sousa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba (FOP). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Maria Lucia Bressiani Gil

Abstract

Introduction Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) consists in an alteration that can affect the masticatory muscles and the temporomandibular joint, causing pain on palpation on the region of the masticatory muscles, facial pain and mandibular region. It has a multifactorial etiology, which requires several therapeutic methods, and laser therapy has been shown effective in this treatment, as there are specific points on the body that can be stimulated with needles, seeds, electroacupuncture and laser to obtain this therapeutic effect. Laseracpuncture is a technique that consists in of stimulated emission of photons on acupoints in order to biomodulate and unclog energy channels and thus restore energy balance, allowing the free circulation of Qi (energy) and Xue (blood) through the body. Objective The objective of this study will be to verify if the stimulation of specific points of the body with low power laser light will be effective in the management of orofacial pain and mouth opening, in volunteers with TMD of muscular origin, when points located distant from the face are stimulated. The specific objective will be to follow a series of mixed TMD cases treated with I-PRF. Material and Method This is a blind and randomized clinical study with a sample of 18 volunteers between 18 and 60 years of age divided into 3 groups, who attended 5 weekly sessions: Systemic acupuncture group (GAS), Real laseracupuncture group (GLR) and Laseracupuncture Placebo Group (LPG). In the GAS, conventional needling will be performed, at points distant from the face, in the GLR, infrared laser light will be emitted with a dosage of 2 joules, for 20 seconds in the same acupoints of the GAS. In LPG, the laser will be directed to the same points, but it will not be4activated. The following evaluation measures will be used: for TMD (axis 1 and 2 by the DC\TMD Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders), self-reported pain and muscle pain (masseter and temporal) when submitted to a force of 1kg evaluated with VAS scale and amplitude of 0 to 10 and mouth opening measured in millimeters. Expectations and satisfaction of the volunteers will still be evaluated by the likert scale as well as the group which to be participating. Repeated measures ANOVA analysis of variance will be used followed by Bonferroni adjustment and a significance level of 5% will be established. Hypothesis It is expected that laseracupuncture, when applied at distant points of the face, is effective for the treatment of temporomandibular disorders, due to the existing relationship with the energy channels in the body, with consequent improvement in the pain, resistance to pressure pain, an improvement in the limitation of mouth opening and that therefore the participants are satisfied with the treatment.For the series of TMD cases in which I-PRF was applied, the cases will be followed up with imaging exams after 12 months of application. (AU)