Dry Needling for Temporomandibular Disorder

Atlas University40 enrolled

Overview

This randomized controlled trial investigates the clinical effectiveness of dry needling in individuals with myofascial temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The study compares dry needling applied to trigger points in the masseter and temporalis muscles with conventional physical therapy. Primary outcomes include changes in pain intensity, and muscle EMG. Given these considerations, this study aims to investigate the clinical acute effectiveness of dry needling applied to the masseter and temporalis muscles in individuals diagnosed with myofascial TMD.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a common group of musculoskeletal conditions affecting the jaw joint and surrounding muscles, often characterized by pain, limited mandibular mobility, and muscle tenderness. Among the various subtypes of TMD, myofascial pain is the most prevalent and typically involves the presence of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the masticatory muscles. Dry needling (DN) is a minimally invasive technique that targets MTrPs using monofilament needles to induce a local twitch response and disrupt dysfunctional motor end plate activity. This single-blinded, randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the acute clinical effectiveness of DN compared to conventional physical therapy in individuals with myofascial TMD. In our study, 36 participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the dry needling group or the sham group, using a randomization process conducted through random.org. The study aimed to examine the acute effects following a single application. A double-blind design was employed, with separate physiotherapists responsible for administering the intervention and conducting the assessments. The study consisted of three stages: pre-intervention assessment, intervention, and post-intervention assessment. Jaw pain intensity was evaluated at the end of the range of motion using a 100 mm VAS, a tool recognized for its high reliability in musculoskeletal assessments. All participants were asked to indicate their pain level on the VAS, allowing for a subjective quantification of perceived pain intensity Surface electromyographic (sEMG) activity of the jaw muscles was recorded bilaterally from the anterior temporalis (TA-R, TA-L) and masseter (MM-R, MM-L) muscles using the BioPAK System (version 7.2; BioResearch Associates Inc., Milwaukee, WI, USA).

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

TMD/Orofacial Pain Muscle Spasm

Interventions

Dry NeedlingPROCEDURE

Dry Needling

sham needlingOTHER

In the SG, a validated sham needling procedure was simulated.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 45 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria * Patients aged between 18 and 45 years presenting with complaints of jaw pain to the Department of Dentistry at A University. * Diagnosed with myofascial pain associated with temporomandibular dysfunction by a dentist, based on the Axis I criteria of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD). * Jaw pain persisting for at least three months. * Pain elicited upon palpation of the masseter and/or temporalis muscles. * Presence of clicking or crepitus in the temporomandibular joint during mandibular movements. * Self-reported jaw muscle fatigue or stiffness, particularly upon awakening. Exclusion Criteria * History of any confirmed or suspected inflammatory or neurological condition. * Presence of any oral or dental infection. * Any cognitive or communication impairment affecting data collection. * History of head or facial trauma. * Allergy to metals.

Locations (2)

Faculty of Dentistry, Atlas University

Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Istanbul Atlas University, Faculty of Dentistry

Istanbul, Kagithane, Turkey (Türkiye)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Jaw pain intensity

Jaw pain intensity was evaluated at the end of the range of motion using a 100 mm VAS, a tool recognized for its high reliability in musculoskeletal assessments. All participants were asked to indicate their pain level on the VAS, allowing for a subjective quantification of perceived pain intensity . Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain), with higher scores indicating worse outcomes.

Time frame: Baseline and After 10-minute

Secondary Outcomes

Surface electromyographic (sEMG)

Surface electromyographic (sEMG) activity of the jaw muscles was recorded bilaterally from the anterior temporalis (TA-R, TA-L) and masseter (MM-R, MM-L) muscles using the BioPAK System (version 7.2; BioResearch Associates Inc., Milwaukee, WI, USA).

Time frame: Baseline and After 10-minute

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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