Can Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Be Effective in Temporomandibular Joint Disease

Overview

The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) in patients with Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) with Reduced Disc Displacement, by comparing it with standard treatment. Scientific Basis and Validity of Medical Research: Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMR) are disorders that can cause pain in the head and neck region, limitation in mouth opening, and difficulties even in daily activities (eating, speaking, chewing, yawning, etc.). These disorders have various causes such as malocclusion, emotional stress, parafunctional habits, synovitis, capsulitis, osteoarthritis and intra-articular irregularities. Almost 25% of the world's population has TMJ intra-articular irregularities and these are usually treated with non-surgical methods. If these methods are not successful, surgical treatments are generally used. These non-surgical treatments include many physical therapy interventions such as occlusal splints, medical treatments, bite plates, ultrasound and subcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and low-level laser therapies. With these intraorally used occlusal splints, a balanced occlusal contact is achieved without applying any force to the mandible in the resting position. Occlusal splints are available in different designs and different construction materials. The stabilization splint, which is one of the most commonly used occlusal splints, and the modified Hawley splint are appliances produced from hard materials. However, some researchers have commented that soft spints produced from resilient materials may also be useful in the distribution of excessive force formed in parafunctional habits. While there are studies stating that hard splints provide more successful results than soft splints in the functional problems of the chewing system, there are also studies reporting that they have similar efficacy on muscle pain after short-term use. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), another physical therapy modality, used in the treatment of various joint and muscle pains; it is an advantageous treatment modality that is non-invasive, well tolerated by patients and has few side effects. This modality is also used in diseases of the TMJ and masticatory muscles in various sources. The availability of different non-standard treatment regimens and the few studies on the short-term results of ESWT applications make the use of ESWT in the treatment of TMJ diseases still unclear and new studies are needed.