Pain Relief Effects on Temporomandibular Disorders using a Nd:YAG Laser

Objectives: Pain relief treatment should be performed first in patients with Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD). A Nd:YAG laser is frequently used for pain relief in 1-4 TMD patients. This study evaluated the effects of pain relief in TMD treatments using a Nd:YAG laser. Methods: Between February 1997 and April 2007, 950 TMD patients were treated at Sakuragawa Dental Clinic (Aomori, Japan) for pain relief by a clinician. Of them, 880 patients were irradiated using a Nd:YAG laser (Pulse Master, Japan) 8 times (twice a week) without pharmacotherapy and splint therapy for 1 month. As control groups, 30 and 40 patients were treated with pharmacotherapy and splint therapy without laser irradiation, respectively. The degree of pain was determined using a visual analog scale (VAS). Electromyograms of the bilateral masseter and temporal muscles and mandibular movements were measured before and after treatment. Each VAS value was analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test at significance level a=0.05. Results: Laser treatment showed a significant decrease of VAS values from the control groups (p<0.05, Laser: Z=-26.89, Splint therapy: -5.57, Pharmacotherapy: Z=-4.75). There was a significant difference in the duration of pain relief with and without laser irradiation (p<0.05). Cooperation of bilateral muscles and stabilization of mandibular movements were observed after laser treatment. Conclusions: The Nd:YAG laser affected pain relief in TMD patients. Both electromyograms and mandibular movements were stabilized by laser irradiation.