Table 1.
Major key characteristics of the included studies in this systematic review.
| Author and year | Study population | Sample size | Study design | Age/gender | Problem | Laser type | Energy and application rate | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kulekcioglu et al., 2003 [8] | Turkey | 35 patients | RCT | 20–59 years (female = 28, male = 7) | Orofacial pain, TMJ sounds, limited mouth opening, or TMJ locking | Ga-Al-As (LLLT), 904 nm wavelength | 180 seconds, dosage: 3 J/cm2 (15 sessions) | Significant reduction of pain and improvement in maximum mouth opening and lateral motion |
| Kogawa et al., 2005 [9] | Brazil | 19 patients | RCT | Mean age, 26.4 years (female = 19, male = 0) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LLLT), wavelength of 830–904 nm | 4 J/cm2 (3 times a week, 10 sessions) | Significant increase in maximum mouth opening and a decrease in tenderness |
| Abreu Venancio et al., 2005 [10] | Brazil | 30 patients | RCT | Not given | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LILT), 780 nm wavelength | 6.3 J/cm2 (twice a week for 3 weeks, 6 sessions) | No significant changes |
| Kato et al., 2006 [2] | Brazil | 18 patients | RCT | Mean age, 25.6 years | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | LLLT, wavelength of 830–904 nm | 4 J/cm2 energy density (10 sessions, 3 times a week for 4 weeks) | Significant decrease in pain and improvement in muscle tenderness |
| Núñez et al., 2006 [11] | Brazil | 10 patients | Non-RCT clinical trials | 18–56 years (female = 8, male = 2) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LILT), 670 nm wavelength | 3 J per site, total time 8 minutes | Significant improvement in mouth opening |
| Emshoff et al., 2008 [7] | Austria | 52 patients | RCT | 18 to 58 years | Patients with unilateral TMJ pain | Red-beam laser, 632.8 nm HeNe laser | 1.5 J/cm2 energy density (2 to 3 treatments per week for 8 weeks) | No significant differences in reducing pain |
| Cunha et al., 2008 [12] | Brazil | 40 patients | RCT | (Female = 39, male = 1) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LLL), 830 nm wavelength | 20 seconds, 100 J/cm2 (once a week for 4 weeks) | No significant changes |
| Graciele Carrasco et al., 2008 [13] | Brazil | 14 patients | RCT | Not given | Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) | Ga-Al-As (LILT), 780 nm wavelength | 60 seconds, 105 J/cm2 (twice per week for 4 weeks) | Significant improvement of masticatory efficiency |
| Lassemi , 2008 [14] | Iran | 48 patients | RCT | (Female = 24, male = 24) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-As (LLLT), 980 nm wavelength | 2 J per point (2 sessions with a 48-h interval) | Significant reduction of pain severity and clicking |
| Raheem et al., 2010 [5] | Iraq | 34 patients | Non-RCT, convenience sampling | (Female = 21, male = 13) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Semiconductor galium-aluminium (gas) LLLT, 785 nm wavelength | Energy density of 16 J/cm2 (twice to thrice weekly and repeated 4 weeks, total 10 sessions) | Significant reduction of pain and improvement in maximum mouth opening, lateral motion, and muscle tenderness |
| Mazzetto et al., 2010 [15] | Brazil | 40 patients | RCT | Not given | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LLL), 830 nm wavelength | 10 s, 5 J/cm2 | Significant improvement in pain reduction and mandibular movement |
| Dostalová et al., 2012 [16] | Prague | 27 patients | Non-RCT | Mean age of male 18.57 and female 27.57 years | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LLL), 830 nm wavelength | 15 s, 4 J/cm2 (once a week for 5 weeks) | Significant reduction of pain |
| De Godoy et al., 2013 [17] | Brazil | 85 patients | RCT | 15 and 18 years | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LLL), 780 nm wavelength | 20 s, 25 J/cm2 (6 weeks, a total of 12 sessions) | Not significant |
| Catão et al., 2013 [18] | Brazil | 20 patients | RCT | 19 to 58 years (female = 18, male = 2) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | As-Ga-Al laser (830 nm wavelength), InGaAIP laser (830 nm wavelength) | 4 J/cm2 (three times a week for 4 weeks, 12 sessions) | Significant reduction in pain and improvement in mouth opening |
| Madani et al., 2014 [19] | Iran | 20 patients | RCT | 35–60 years (female = 19, male = 1) | TMJ osteoarthritis | LLLT (low level laser), 810 nm wavelength | 6 J per point, 3.4 J/cm2 (three times a week for 4 weeks) | No significant differences (for reducing pain and improving mouth opening) |
| Pereira et al., 2014 [20] | Brazil | 19 patients | RCT | 21–55 years (female = 15, male = 4) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | LLLT, wavelength: 660 nm (red laser) and 795 nm (infrared laser) | 4 J/cm2 (an interval of 48 hours, total 3 sessions) | Statistically significant in the treatment and remission of TMD symptoms |
| Sayed et al., 2014 [21] | India | 20 patients | RCT | 19–47 years (female = 9, male = 11) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | LLLT semiconductive (diodic) gallium arsenide (GaAs) laser, 904 nm wavelength | 60 s, 4 J/cm2 (3 times a week for 2 weeks) | Statistically significant in reducing the pain intensity, tenderness, joint sounds, and improvement in the range of jaw motion |
| Huang et al., 2014 [22] | Taiwan | 20 patients | RCT | Not given | Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) | LLLT, 800 nm wavelength | 100.5 J/cm2 (once a week) | Significant reduction of pain |
| Hu et al., 2014 [23] | Taiwan | 29 patients | Retrospective convenience | 17–67 years (female = 25, male = 4) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LLL), 810 nm wavelength | 5s, 0.375 J/cm2 (3 times per week for 4 weeks) | Significant improvement of treatment-resistant TMD |
| Seifi et al., 2017 [24] | Iran | 40 patients | RCT | 18–50 years | Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LLL), 810 nm wavelength | (Four half-hour sessions per week) | Significant decrease in pain and tenderness |
| Rezazadeh et al., 2017 [25] | Iran | 45 patients | RCT | Not given | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LLL), 980 nm wavelength | 2.5 minutes, 5 J/cm2 (8 sessions within 2 weeks) | Significant reduction of pain and tenderness |
| Douglas de Oliveira et al., 2017 [26] | Brazil | 19 patients | RCT | 21–55 years (female = 15, male = 4) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LLL), wavelength: 660 nm (red laser) and 790 nm (infrared laser) | 1.06 s, 8 J/cm2 (3 sessions) | Statistically significant in the treatment of TMD |
| Basili 2017 [27] | Italy | 180 patients | Non-RCT | Not given | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | LLLT, 830 nm wavelength | 3 sessions | Significant reduction of pain |
| De Godoy et al., 2017 [28] | Brazil | 16 patients | RCT | 14–23 years | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | LLLT, 780 nm wavelength | 20 s, 25 J/cm2 (12 sessions) | No significant changes |
| Shobha et al., 2017 [29] | India | 40 patients | RCT | 18–40 years | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | Ga-Al-As (LLLT), 810 nm wavelength | 60 s, 6 J/cm2 (2-3 times a week, 8 sessions) | No significant changes |
| Kashmoola 2018 [1] | Malaysia | 22 patients | Non-RCT | 18–68 years | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | LLLT | 2-3 minutes, 0.5 W, 30 Hz daily for 3 days and then once a week for 2 weeks | Significant reduction of pain |
| Buduru et al., 2018 [30] | Romania | 20 patients | Non-RCT | Not given | Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) | LLLT, 660 nm wavelength | Energy intensity 90 mW (once each day, five days per week, for a total of 10 sessions | Significant reduction of pain |
| Peimani et al., 2018 [31] | Iran | 72 patients | RCT | 20–45 years | TMJ dysfunction | LLLT, 808 nm wavelength | 144 J/cm2 (2 times a week for 4 weeks) | Significant reduction of pain, clicking, and tenderness |
| Del Vecchio et al., 2019 [32] | Italy | 90 patients | RCT | 18–73 years (female = 78, male = 12) | Temporomandibular joint disorders- (TMJDs-) related pain | LLLT, 808 nm wavelength | 5 J/min (twice a day for 7 days) | Significant reduction of pain |
| Tortelli et al., 2019 [33] | Brazil | 12 patients | RCT | 23–50 years | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | LLLT, 808 nm ± 10 nm wavelength | 2 J, (72h intervals, for a total of 6 sessions) | Significant decrease in pain and improve maximal opening capacity |
| Khairnar et al., 2019 [34] | India | 42 patients | RCT | 25–45 years | Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) | LLLT, 660 nm wavelength | 2.2 J/min | Significant role in treating TMD-related pain |
| Yamaner et al., 2020 [35] | Turkey | 62 patients | RCT | Mean age, 31.51 ± 10.32 years (female = 59, male = 3) | Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) | LLLT, 820 nm wavelength | 10 s, 3 J/cm2 (3 times a week, total 6 sessions) | Significant reduction of pain |