Application of Acupuncture in Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

The treatment of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) usually begins with conservative remedies such as medication, heat compression, patient education, and occlusal bite plates, among others. Normally, a combination of methods is needed to relieve patient symptoms because of the complexity of the disorder and its speci c etiology for each patient. Because acupuncture has been proven to possess pain-reducing and anti-inflammatory effects, in this report, we reviewed the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving the symptoms of TMD. The mechanism of acupuncture is very different between traditional and modern medicine, with the evidence showing that the analgesic effect of acupuncture comes from its ability to elevate the pain threshold, release neurotransmitters in local regions, and modulate pathways in the central nervous system. Within the limits of our review, the local acupoints around the TMJ, such as ST-6, ST-7, SI-18, GV20, GB-20, BL-10, and distant point LI-4 can be suggested for treating TMD. With 30-minute treatment sessions occurring once a week for 6 weeks, evidence showed that the e ectiveness of acupuncture in minimizing patient discomfort is comparable to the e ectiveness of other treatment options.