GaAlAs phototherapy for tension and compression related temporomandibular disorders

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate the distribution of the most common etiological factors responsible for the development of chronic temporomandibular disorders, and to test the pain - relief effectiveness of combined gallium-aluminum-arsenide laser (GaAlAs; 785 nm) and superluminiscent diods (SLD; 633 nm) phototherapy (MedX 1100 device) for most common tension and compression pain-related diagnostic subgroups of chronic temporomandibular disorders. Material and methods: This study includes 62 patients - 7 men and 55 women, aged between 21-74 years with clinical signs and symptoms of chronic temporomandibular joint and myofascial pain. Using DC/TMD instruments the most common causative factors were identified, and part of the TMDs assessed were classified to tension and compression related diagnostic subgroups. Trigger point oriented combination of laser (MedX 1100 console with three GaAlAs laser diodes, 785 nm, 3x33 mW, 100 s, 8 J/cm 2 per spot) and SLD red light sessions (633 nm, 200 mW, 300 s, 8 J/cm 2 per spot) was applied for temporomandibular joints and affected muscles. Results and conclusion: Using descriptive analysis and paired samples Student`s t-test, the most statistically manifested pain reduction is found for Arthralgia attributed to Tension-related TMDs (Subluxations, Dislocations, Sprain and strain of joints, ligaments and TMJ - related structures, Flexion-extension injuries; p=0,000001), followed by Myalgia for the same disorders (p=0,000014), followed by Arthralgia attributed to Compression-related TMDs (bruxism, psychosomatic parafunctions, occlusal microtrauma, dentofacial anomalies and malocclusions, p=0,000037), and Myalgia attributed to the same TMDs (p=0,000808). This study shows that combined phototherapy provides statistically significant reduction of pain symptoms for the most common temporomandibular disorders, and that Arthralgia and Myalgia attributed to tension-related disorders are better influenced by combined phototherapy than compression-related ones.