Ultrasound is Effective to Treat Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

Abstract

Shuang Ba,1 Pin Zhou,2 Ming Yu1 1Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ming YuDepartment of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, 182 Northern Tongguan Road, Lianyungang, 222002, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax + 86 51885605472Email [email protected]: Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) affects millions of people. It is unclear if low intensity ultrasound (US) is effective to treat TMD.Methods: A total of 160 patients with TMD were enrolled in this study. The subjects were randomized into two groups to receive US therapy or no therapy. Patients in the US group were given US therapy once a day for 5 days per week for 2 consecutive weeks. Before and 4 weeks and 6 months after the treatments, the patients were assessed for pain using visual analog scale (VAS) and the maximum pain-free inter-incisal distance (IID). In addition, mandibular movement (MM), jaw noise (JN), disability index (DI) and craniomandibular index (CMI) were also assessed.Results: Compared with the patients before the therapy, VAS, IID, MM, JN, DI and CMI in the US group were significantly improved 4 weeks and 6 months after therapy. However, 6 months after the therapy, US group had a recurrence rate of 2.63%.Conclusion: US therapy can significantly reduce the pain, and improve the functionality of the temporomandibular joint and mouth opening limit for TMD patients, and is therefore recommended for TMD patients.Keywords: temporomandibular joint disorder, pain, ultrasound, exercise therapy, recurrence

Keywords

• temporomandibular joint disorder
• pain
• ultrasound
• exercise therapy
• recurrence