title: Laser acupuncture therapy in patients with treatment-resistant temporomandibular disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical effects of laser acupuncture therapy for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) after ineffective previous treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective observational study was conducted in 29 treatment-resistant TMD patients (25 women, 4 men; age range, 17-67 years). Subjects were treated 3 times per week for 4 weeks with the Handylaser Trion (GaAlAs laser diode, 810 nm, 150 mW, pulsed waves), which delivered 0.375 J of energy (5 s) to ST7, ST6, and LI4 and 3 J (40 s) to each Ashi point, 7.5-26.25 J/cm2 in total. The visual analog scale (VAS) and maximal mouth opening (MMO) were evaluated before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VAS analysis showed that the patients were free of pain at rest (endpoint) after 5.90±6.08 sessions of laser acupuncture for acute TMD and after 16.21±17.98 sessions for chronic TMD. The VAS score on palpation of the temporomandibular joint reduced to 0.30±0.67 for patients with acute TMD (p = 0.005) and to 0.47±0.84 for those with chronic TMD (p<0.001). The MMO significantly increased in patients with acute TMD (7.80±5.43 mm, p = 0.008) and in patients with chronic TMD (15.58±7.87 mm, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that laser acupuncture therapy improves the symptoms of treatment-resistant TMD. Further studies with a more appropriate design, involving long-term follow-up examinations in a larger patient sample, are needed to evaluate its efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Kaohsiung Medical University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Fooyin University College of Nursing, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Fooyin University College of Nursing, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Division of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Chinese Medical Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; School of Chinese Medicine for Post Baccalaureate, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Chiang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: I-Ling
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taipei Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sheng-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*