title: Clinical effectiveness of laser acupuncture in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a general term for diseases of the temporomandibular joint and orofacial muscles. In this study, we tested whether laser acupuncture was effective for the treatment of TMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with TMD were treated with diode K-Laser (wavelength 800 nm, energy density 100.5 J/cm(2)) once a week at four acupuncture points including three standard ipsilateral local points (ST6, ST7, Ashi point) and one contralateral distal point (LI4). A 10-cm visual analogue scale (0 no pain and 10 the most severe pain) was used for measuring the pain intensity before and after the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen out of 20 patients (85%) showed various degrees of pain relief after laser acupuncture treatment. The average pain score was 6.3 ± 1.6 before treatment and 2.5 ± 2.2 after treatment. Significant pain relief after laser acupuncture treatment was achieved (p = 0.0003, Wilcoxon signed rank test). The 17 patients showed an average pain relief of 63 ± 31%. There were six patients who showed no TMD symptoms after an average of four treatments of laser acupuncture. The other 11 patients showed partial relief of TMD symptoms after treatment. Although the pain was still present, it was less and was acceptable. No side effects were reported in any patients during or after laser acupuncture treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laser acupuncture may be an alternative treatment modality for TMD because it is non-invasive, results in partial or total relief of pain, and has no side effects.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Dentistry, Oral Medicine Center, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jung-Chih
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Dentistry, Oral Medicine Center, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hui-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Dentistry, Oral Medicine Center, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Hsien
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Dentistry, Oral Medicine Center, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: tao2008@csmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chuan-Hang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: laser acupuncture; temporomandibular joint disorder; treatment