SynthesisJournal of oral & facial pain and headache2026
Effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of oral & facial pain and headache, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundExtracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is commonly employed for treating various musculoskeletal disorders; however, its effectiveness in managing temporomandibular disorders (TMD) remains inconclusive. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of ESWT for TMD by reviewing randomized clinical trials.
methodsSystematic searches were conducted across seven databases from inception to April 2025 to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating ESWT in patients with TMD. Eligible studies were required to report at least one of the following outcomes: visual analog scale (VAS) for pain or maximum mouth opening (MMO). A meta-analysis was performed, categorizing results by treatment type (ESWT alone
resultsFourteen RCTs (n = 1107 participants) were included. Compared to active controls, ESWT did not result in significant improvements (VAS: mean difference (MD) = -0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.77 to 0.16;
conclusionsESWT, when used as an adjunctive therapy for TMD, significantly alleviates pain and improves mouth opening. However, these results should be interpreted with caution due to the generally low quality of the included studies and the absence of long-term follow-up data. This meta-analysis synthesizes the available evidence, highlights critical research gaps, and provides cautious recommendations for clinical practice. THE PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42025631405.
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