Lasertherapy efficacy in temporomandibular disorders: control study.
Temporomandibular dysfunction is characterized by the presence of painful joint/muscular symptoms muscle in the face. The main justification for the use of lasers in laser therapy dysfunction is its analgesic effect, which was observed in most studies in the literature.


OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the effectiveness of laser therapy in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders.


METHODS
50 volunteers with temporomandibular disorders were divided into two groups (control and experimental) had amplitudes of movements of mouth opening, right and left laterality recorded before and after laser application. Was also recorded, the score the individual gave to pain by visual analog scale and, through physical examination, the pain points. We used the AsGaAl laser with a 40mW power, with 80J/cm(2) for 16 seconds at four selected points for just one session with reassessment after a week.


METHODS
Clinical.


RESULTS
It was noted that laser therapy increased the mean amplitude of mandibular movements (p = 0.0317) and decreased significantly (43.6%) the pain intensity measured by the visual analog scale.


CONCLUSIONS
The laser decreases the painful symptoms of the patient after application through its analgesic and/or a placebo effect.
Santos
Thiago de Santana
Tde S
Brazilian College of Maxillofacial Surgery, Brazil.
Piva
Marta Rabello
MR
Ribeiro
Maria Helena
MH
Antunes
Antonio Azoubel
AA
Melo
Auremir Rocha
AR
Silva
Emanuel Dias de Oliveira E
ED
D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome