Laser light may ease jaw pain without drugs
NCT ID NCT07588841
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at whether low-level laser therapy can reduce pain and improve jaw function in people with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Researchers reviewed records of 100 patients who received laser treatment or followed a soft diet. The goal was to see if the laser offered extra relief beyond just eating soft foods.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Low-level laser therapy (GaAl-As diode laser, 940 nm)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-invasive, drug-free option to ease jaw pain and improve chewing function.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, retrospective study with no blinding or randomization. Results may not apply to everyone, and the effect might be no better than a soft diet alone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
100 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Sep 2022
- Finished
-
Dec 2024
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
15 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosis of disc displacement with reduction (DDwR) and myalgia according to DC/TMD criteria Presence of temporomandibular joint pain and functional limitation Patients aged 18 years and older No previous temporomandibular joint (TMJ) treatment Absence of systemic diseases Willingness to participate and provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: History of previous TMJ treatment (e.g., conservative or surgical treatment) Congenital or inflammatory joint disease Severe systemic diseases Edentulous patients Children and adolescents in the active growth period Acute trauma history involving the TMJ region Inability or unwillingness to complete follow-up visits
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Karadeniz Technical University
Trabzon, Trabzon, 61000, Turkey (Türkiye)
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