Therapeutic exercises in temporomandibular disorders: a literature review

Abstract

The temporomandibular joint is part of the stomatognathic system, which comprises a complex set of orofacial structures, including teeth, cervical spine, cranium and shoulder. The system is responsible for masticatory, phonation, and deglutition functions, as well as for breathing and facial expression. Physical therapy exercises have been used for rehabilitation and prevention of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The purpose of this study was to review studies on the subject and assess the effectiveness of physical therapy exercises for TMD. Case reports, review articles, and clinical trials with more than 20 patients, published from 1991 to mid-2008, were searched for in databases Medline, Lilacs and Pubmed, by using keywords "exercise therapy" "temporomandibular disorders", and the correspondent terms in Portuguese. Fifty-three studies were selected of which most showed positive effects on pain reduction, improvement in joint mobility and psychological aspects, suggesting that physical therapy exercises may be beneficial in TMD treating. However, the type, duration time, repetitions, frequency and intensity of the therapeutic exercises are not well described. The lack of research and assessment method standardization hinder result comparison. More studies with standardized methods must be stimulated.