SynthesisLasers in medical science2025
Differential effectiveness of photobiomodulation in muscular and articular temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review and critical appraisal.
Synthesis in Lasers in medical science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Comparative effectiveness of nonpharmacological therapies for adult myogenic temporomandibular disorders: a network meta-analysis of randomized trials.BMC oral health · 2026Pooled it
- A Translational Review of Mechanisms of Effectiveness of Photobiomodulation on Somatosensory Neurons and the Peripheral Nervous System-From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Applications in Medicine and Dentistry.Current issues in molecular biology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
To evaluate and compare the clinical effectiveness of photobiomodulation (PBM) in managing temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) of muscular versus articular origin, drawing from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing pain reduction and improvement in mandibular function. This systematic review and meta-analysis adhered to PRISMA 2020 guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD420251029633). Comprehensive searches were conducted in PubMed, MEDLINE, LILACS, and the Cochrane Library for articles published up to March 31, 2025. Eligible studies were RCTs examining PBM in patients with muscular or articular TMDs, reporting outcomes on pain (Visual Analogue Scale [VAS]) and/or mandibular function (Maximum Mouth Opening [MMO]). Risk of bias was assessed via the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool, and meta-analyses employed random-effects models with subgroup analyses based on TMD subtype. Eighteen randomized controlled trials (n = 1038 participants) were included: 11 focused on muscular TMD, 4 on articular TMD, and 3 on mixed types. PBM demonstrated significant improvements in pain and mandibular function across all subtypes. Meta-analysis revealed consistent benefits for pain (SMD = - 0.84; 95% CI: -1.18 to - 0.51) and function (SMD = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.38 to 1.05). Trials involving articular TMD showed the most robust and homogeneous effects, suggesting greater PBM efficacy in intra-articular conditions. Photobiomodulation is an effective modality for the management of both muscular and articular TMDs. The data indicate superior and more consistent outcomes in articular presentations, potentially due to PBM's anti-inflammatory properties. These findings support the implementation of subtype-specific PBM protocols in clinical practice.
Indexed as
Identifiers
41251874What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.