The evaluation of clinical findings and bone scintigraphy before and after low level laser therapy (lllt) in patient with temporomandibular joint (tmj) pain dysfunction syndrome and disc deplacement with/without reduction

Inflammatory joint disorders are a group of disorders in which internal and related structures of temporomandibular joint become inflamed as a result of trauma, internal derangement or osteoarthritis. Commonly inflamed sites of temporomandibular joint tissues are the posterior attachment, collateral ligaments and periarticular tissues (capsule, synovium and temporomandibular joint ligaments). The aim of the treatment of inflammatory joint disorders related to trauma is to control micro and macro trauma and to allow tissue regeneration by releasing inflammation and internal joint pressure. Behavioral therapy, soft diet, anti-inflammatory drugs, occlusal splint and low level laser therapy have been described as suitable treatments for patients suffering from inflammatory joint disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of low level laser therapy on experimentally induced inflammation in retrodiscal tissues of temporomandibular joint.Eighty patients with signs and symtomps of TMJ internal derangement were enrolled in this study. All of the patients were treated by laser for two weeks at ten times.We were taken both of TMJ bone scintigraphy and MRG. Region of interest (ROI) was traced around the greatest activity in the temporomandibular joint area and an uptake ratio was calculated. All statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS 15.00 software program. Student T test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test test was used to compare the differences between the groups. The level of significance was set at p<0.05.In the conclusion , ideal functionand rehabilitation of TMJ provided after the laser treatment in all patient. Increased interincisal distances and decrased level of the muscle pain were proved this situtation. On the MRI, no changes were detected in patien with disk displacement after laser therapy. However osteoblastic activity count were decrased after the treatment in all patient so that it revelaed that there was no degenerative changes in TMJ.