Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40917038›Full record

SynthesisClinical and experimental dental research2025

Dry Needling in Treatment of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders: A Systematic Review.

Mina Khayamzadeh, Farnoosh Razmara, Afagh Tavassoli

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical and experimental dental research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Mina KhayamzadehDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, International Campus, Tehran, Iran.
Farnoosh RazmaraCraniomaxillofacial Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Afagh TavassoliUniversal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.ORCID 0009-0000-2150-4054

Funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAmong the minimally invasive techniques for treating temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) is dry needling, which can be used as a potential treatment method. This study aims to review current knowledge to understand the impact of dry needling on treating TMDs.

methodsThis systematic review was carried out in alignment with the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The search was done on the studies published between 2000 and 2024. Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was applied to evaluate the risk of bias.

resultsA total of 673 studies were identified. Among these, 245 articles were assessed for eligibility; ultimately, 10 studies were made up of the final review. These studies evaluated several outcome measures, the most common of which were: the visual analog scale (VAS), verbal rating scale (VRS), electromyography (EMG), extent of mouth opening, pain symptomatology, myofascial trigger point pain, sonographic measurements, bilateral muscle palpation with a pressure algometer, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), and mandibular mobility. Most RCTs had a low risk of bias.

conclusionThe findings consistently underscore the role of dry needling (DN) and other adjunctive therapies in improving clinical outcomes, particularly pain reduction and functional improvement.

Indexed as

Dry NeedlingTemporomandibular Joint DisordersHumansPain MeasurementRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment Outcomedry needlingpaintemporomandibular joint disorders

Identifiers

PMID40917038
PMCPMC12415702

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.