Evaluation of dry needling effectiveness on temporomandibular joint pain and range of motion

Comparison of dry needling and sham dry needling effectiveness on pain, range of motion and pressure pain threshold in patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction after dental procedure

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

IRCT

Registry ID

IRCT20200927048859N1

Enrollment

Registered

2021-11-23

Start date

2021-11-22

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2021-11-29

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Pain and temporomandibular dysfunction after dental procedure. Temporomandibular joint disorders

Interventions

Intervention 1: Intervention group: They are treated with dry needling on masseter, temporalis, internal and external pterygoid muscles. Initially, by touching and pressing the therapist's hand on eac

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

20 Years to 50 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Men and women 20-50 years old. Pain and range of motion limitation on one side of the temporomandibular joint who visit the dentist in the past month or a week. One week interval from the onset of symptoms and limited range of motion following a visit to the dentist with or without medication. Not performing physiotherapy on the head and neck for the past 12 months. No scar tissue, infection, wound or inflammation on trigger point area. Do not use addictive substances and alcohol due to rising pain threshold. Restriction of mouth opening less than 30 mm or pain with Numeric Rating Scale above 3

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Both side pain History of clenching while sleeping or night guard using Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) degenerative disease Inflammation in mouth History of TMJ or dental surgery History of systemic or metabolic disorders, such as metabolic syndrome Rheumatoid arthritis, atypical fascial pain, neuralgia and fibromyalgia Instability in chewing structures Orthodontic treatment Anticoagulant therapy Pregnancy

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Pain with Numeric Rating Scale. Timepoint: At the beginning of the study, one week and two weeks after the start of the intervention. Method of measurement: Numeric Rating Scale; The 11-point numeric scale ranges from '0' representing one pain extreme (e.g. “no pain”) to '10' representing the other pain extreme (e.g. “pain as bad as you can imagine” or “worst pain imaginable”).;Range of motion of temporomandibular joint. Timepoint: At the beginning of the study, one week and two weeks after the start of the intervention. Method of measurement: goniometer.;Evaluation of sensitivity of trigger points. Timepoint: At the beginning of the study, one week and two weeks after the start of the intervention. Method of measurement: Digital pressure algometer.	—

Measure

Time frame

Pain with Numeric Rating Scale. Timepoint: At the beginning of the study, one week and two weeks after the start of the intervention. Method of measurement: Numeric Rating Scale; The 11-point numeric scale ranges from '0' representing one pain extreme (e.g. “no pain”) to '10' representing the other pain extreme (e.g. “pain as bad as you can imagine” or “worst pain imaginable”).;Range of motion of temporomandibular joint. Timepoint: At the beginning of the study, one week and two weeks after the start of the intervention. Method of measurement: goniometer.;Evaluation of sensitivity of trigger points. Timepoint: At the beginning of the study, one week and two weeks after the start of the intervention. Method of measurement: Digital pressure algometer.

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Countries

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Contacts

Public ContactSepideh Paybast

Ghoum University of Medical Sciences

nafiseh_zekri@yahoo.com+98 25 3355 5455

Outcome results

None listed

Source: IRCT (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026