Effects of photobiomodulation combined with orofacial myofunctional therapy on the quality of life of individuals with temporomandibular disorder.
Wellyda Cinthya Félix Gomes da Silva Dias, Renata Veiga Andersen Cavalcanti, Hipólito Virgílio Magalhães Júnior and 2 others
PMID 35416889WHAT IT FOUND
Orofacial myofunctional therapy improved pain and quality of life in people with temporomandibular disorder.
Adding laser photobiomodulation did not further reduce pain or total quality-of-life impairment compared to placebo laser. The only significant difference was in functional limitation, which favored the placebo group.
Key findings
01Both groups showed significant improvement in pain and total oral health quality of life scores after treatment.
02There was no significant difference between the laser and placebo groups for pain or total quality of life scores.
03The placebo group showed significantly better functional limitation scores than the laser group after treatment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small, with only 34 participants. The number of participants in each group was unequal (19 in the laser group, 15 in the placebo group). The study did not blind the participants to whether they were receiving active or inactive laser, although the text describes it as a 'blind' trial, the method of blinding is not fully detailed regarding patient perception. The primary hypothesis that the laser group would have better outcomes than the placebo group was not confirmed.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that laser photobiomodulation is harmful or ineffective in all contexts. The study was small and underpowered, and the 'better' functional outcome in the placebo group may be due to chance or specific placebo effects rather than a negative effect of the laser. However, it does suggest that the laser may not be necessary for achieving the main benefits of myofunctional therapy.