Effectiveness of Photobiomodulation and Manual Therapy Alone or Combined in TMD Patients (TMDPBMT)

Comparative Effectiveness of Photobiomodulation and Manual Therapy Alone or Combined in TMD Patients: a Randomized Clinical Trial

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of photobiomodulation (PBM) and manual therapy (MT) isolated or combined in the reduce of pain, the improve of mandibular movements, the psychosocial aspects and the anxiety symptoms of patients with TMD.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Temporomandibular Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Photobiomodulation; Procedure: Manual Therapy (MT)

Detailed Description

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is a complex and multifactorial disease. Therapeutic modalities, as PBM and MT, expected to relief of symptoms, improve of function and reduce the impact of the disease in patient's life. Fifty-one TMD patients were randomly allocated to three groups: PBM group (n=18) using 808 nm, 100 milliwatt (mW), 13.3 J ∕cm2, 4 J per point), MT group (n=16) with 21 minutes sessions of MT of the masticatory muscles and TMJ and Combined Therapy group (CT) (n=17) applying the 2 protocol described above. All treatments were done three times a week for four consecutive weeks. Evaluations were performed at baseline, during the treatment (days 7, 14, 21, and 28) and follow up (day 60 and day 90). Visual analogue scale (VAS), Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC/TMD) Axis I and II, Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) were used in different moments of evaluation time.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 51
• Phase: Phase 2

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 17 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• TMD myogenic and arthrogenic diagnosis based in RDC/TMD Axis I analysis
• Pain in temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
• Limitation in mouth opening.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current dental or physical treatment
• Polyarthritis and other rheumatic diseases
• Use of anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Photobiomodulation group (PBM); Gallium-aluminium-arsenide (GaAlAs) diode laser (MM Optics Recover, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil) with a wavelength of 808 nm, punctual contact mode,spot size of 0.03 cm2, power output of 100 mW, output density of 333 mW∕cm2, energy density of 13.3 J ∕cm2, 40 s exposure time per point, and 4 Joules (J) of total energy per point. 18 individuals	Procedure: Photobiomodulation; PBM was applied, three times a week for four consecutive weeks at 5 points in the TMJ region: superior, anterior, lateral, posterior and postero inferior to the condyle. In addition, all patients received laser application in the temporal muscle (anterior, middle and posterior), in the masseter (upper, middle and lower portion) and insertion of the medial pterygoid.; Other Names: Low Level Laser (PBM)
Experimental: Manual Therapy group (MT); At masticatory muscles were performed circular movements, slip and compression with fingers movements. At the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) was performed a caudal distraction with anterior projection, placing the thumb on the second or third molar. 16 individuals.	Procedure: Manual Therapy (MT); Patients were submitted to MT at temporal, masseter and pterygoid medial from both sides, during 3 minutes each muscle group (Extraoral) and at masseter and lateral pterygoid (Intraoral) for 3 minutes, each total 21 minutes. MT on the TMJ region was performed for 1 minute and 3 repetitions during three times a week .
Experimental: Combined therapy group (CT); Applied the protocols of PBM group and immediately after, to MT group. 17 individuals.	Procedure: Photobiomodulation; PBM was applied, three times a week for four consecutive weeks at 5 points in the TMJ region: superior, anterior, lateral, posterior and postero inferior to the condyle. In addition, all patients received laser application in the temporal muscle (anterior, middle and posterior), in the masseter (upper, middle and lower portion) and insertion of the medial pterygoid.; Other Names: Low Level Laser (PBM); Procedure: Manual Therapy (MT); Patients were submitted to MT at temporal, masseter and pterygoid medial from both sides, during 3 minutes each muscle group (Extraoral) and at masseter and lateral pterygoid (Intraoral) for 3 minutes, each total 21 minutes. MT on the TMJ region was performed for 1 minute and 3 repetitions during three times a week .

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change From Baseline in Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) for Pain	Visual Analogic Score (VAS) is a psychometric scale used to measure subjective characteristics, as pain. Consists of a 100mm horizontal line with descriptors "no pain" at the initial point (score 0) and "worst pain" at the end point (score 100). To avoid clustering of scores, numbers or verbal descriptors at intermediate points are not recommended. Patients were asked to place a handwritten mark at one point along the 100mm line that best represents their pain intensity. The scores are recorded in millimeters and determined by the measurements from the initial point of the scale to the patients' mark, using a ruler. Higher scores indicate high levels of pain intensity. In this study, the scores (mm) of pain were recorded at days 7, 14, 21, 28, 60 and 90 and compared to the baseline score (day 0) to evaluate the response to each treatment.	0,7,14,21,28,60,90 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change at Jaw Movements	Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) Axis I was used to provide information of jaw movements. Using a caliper to assess mandibular range of motion (in millimeters), we measure mouth opening, right and left deviations and protrusion. This questionnaire was applied at baseline (day 0), end of the treatment (day 28) and follow up (day 90).	0,28,90 days
Change on Chronic Pain Grades	RDC/TMD Axis II includes measures from the Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS). Participants rated on scales from 0 = "no pain" to 10 = "pain as bad as could be" their current pain and average and worst facial pain in the past six months. Also, on scales from 0 = "no interference" to 10 = "unable to carry on any activities" the degree of facial pain interference with daily activities in the past six months. The mean of the ratings, multiplied by 10, gives information on characteristic pain intensity (CPI) and daily disability. The GCP is based on CPI, number of disability days in the past six months and daily disability score classified as 0 = no pain, I = low CPI and disability, II = high CPI and low pain-related disability, III = moderate CPI and disability, and IV = severe CPI and disability. In this study, the number of participants, at the end of the study, with Low Incapacity (Grades 0 to I) and Higher Incapacity (Grades II to IV) was compared to the baseline numbers.	0,90 days
Changes on Levels of Depression Symptoms	RDC/TMD Axis II is a validated questionnaire which assess the levels of depression symptoms (LDS). The participants answered 20 questions about how much they have been distressed to several symptoms of depression rating on a scale: 0 =Not at all; 1= A little bit; 2=Moderately; 3=Quite a bit; 4=Extremely. The total number of participants in the end of study, with no depression (scores 0 and 1 on the scale) and with moderate and severe depression (scores 2 to 4 on the scale) was compared to the baseline numbers (day 0).	0,90 days
Change on Nonspecific Physical Symptoms With Pain	RDC/TMD Axis II can be used to provide information on nonspecific physical symptoms with pain. The participants rate the experiences in the past few weeks relative to "how usually feels" about several pain symptoms as follows: 0 =Not at all; 1= A little bit; 2=Moderately; 3=Quite a bit; 4=Extremely. We divided the participants into no symptoms ("Normal" = scores 0 to1 at the scale) and moderate/severe symptoms (scale 2 to 4 at the scale) and compared the total number of participants in each classification (No symptoms and Moderate/severe symptoms) at the end of the study to the baseline numbers.	0, 90 days
Change on Nonspecific Physical Symptoms Without Pain	RDC/TMD Axis II is also used to provide information on nonspecific physical symptoms without pain. The participants rate the experiences in the past few weeks relative to "how usually feels" about several symptoms nonrelated to pain as follows: 0 =Not at all; 1= A little bit; 2=Moderately; 3=Quite a bit; 4=Extremely. We divided the participants in no symptoms ("Normal" =scores 0 to1 at the scale) and moderate/severe symptoms (scale 2 to 4 at the scale) and compared the total number of participants in each classification at the end of the study to the baseline numbers.	0, 90 days
Changes on Mandibular Function	The changes at mandibular functions can be evaluated using the question 19 of RDC/TMD Axis II. Participants answered 0=No (no limitation due to jaw problem) or 1=Yes (the activity is limited by the jaw problem - worse outcome) to a list of activities that the jaw problem can limit from doing. The mean of all the "Yes" answers (score 1) for each group in the end of the study (day 90) was calculated and compared to the baseline means.	0, 90 days
Changes on Levels of Anxiety	Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) is a validated questionnaire with 21 multiple-choice items addressing how much the patient has been bothered by common symptoms of anxiety, at the list in the previous week. Each answer is scored on a scale value of 0 = not at all , 1=Mildly, but it didn't bother me much, 2=Moderately - it wasn't pleasant at times and 3=Severely - it bothered me a lot. We applied the BAI in two moments of the study (baseline and at follow -up= day 90). In each moment the participants were classified using a score calculated by finding the sum of the 21 items. Score of 0-21 = low anxiety, Score of 22-35 = moderate anxiety, Score of 36 and above = high levels of anxiety. We presented the results using only the mean of BAI of participants of each group in that moment. We compared the mean of BAI among the groups (PBM X MT X combined groups- intergroup analysis) in the baseline and follow-up period. In addition, we also analyzed intragroup results comparing the mean of BAI.	0,90 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 17, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 14, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): November 14, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 5, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 2, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): March 6, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 26, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 26, 2019
• Last Verified: August 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Treatment; Photobiomodulation; Manual Therapy; Temporomandibular Diseases; Low level laser
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Stomatognathic Diseases; Jaw Diseases; Craniomandibular Disorders; Mandibular Diseases; Myofascial Pain Syndromes; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders; Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome
• Other Study ID Numbers: PBM and MT TMD

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No