{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T08:55:53Z","timestamp":1790844953889,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"SWISS DENTAL JOURNAL SSO","issue":"03","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790812800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Swiss Dent. J. SSO"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are among the most common causes of chronic orofacial pain. Although photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT), traditionally referred to as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) are widely used conservative modalities, their comparative efficacy remains uncertain due to inconsistent evidence. This systematic review compared the efficacy of both therapies and critically appraised the reporting quality and selected methodological characteristics of the included clinical studies. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, with the protocol registered in PROSPERO. Clinical trials comparing TENS and PBMT were searched in Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, and Embase databases using the descriptors \u201clow-level laser therapy,\u201d \u201cphotobiomodulation,\u201d \u201ctranscutaneous electrical nerve stimulation,\u201d and \u201ctemporomandibular joint disorders,\u201d without restrictions on publication year or language. The reporting quality and selected methodological characteristics of the included studies were critically appraised using a CONSORT-based assessment framework. A total of 402 records were identified, of which 14 met the inclusion criteria, comprising 620 patients with joint pain, muscle pain, and\/or disc displacement. A greater number of included studies reported numerically larger improvements in pain relief and maximum jaw opening following PBMT than TENS. However, twelve of the fourteen included studies were classified as Level III, indicating limited reporting quality according to the adapted CONSORT-based methodological appraisal framework. Substantial heterogeneity in diagnostic characteristics, treatment protocols, and outcome assessment limited direct comparisons between interventions. Overall, the available evidence suggests that both PBMT and TENS may improve pain and mandibular function in patients with temporomandibular disorders. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously, as the absence of quantitative synthesis and the substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity preclude definitive conclusions regarding the comparative efficacy or superiority of either modality.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.61872\/sdj-2026-03-03","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T07:51:50Z","timestamp":1790841110000},"page":"30-45","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Comparative efficacy of photobiomodulation therapy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for temporomandibular disorders","Vergleichende Wirksamkeit der Low-Level-Lasertherapie und der transkutanen elektrischen Nervenstimulation bei kraniomandibul\u00e4ren Dysfunktionen: eine CONSORT-basierte methodische Bewertung","Efficacit\u00e9 comparative de la th\u00e9rapie laser de faible intensit\u00e9 et de la neurostimulation \u00e9lectrique transcutan\u00e9e dans les troubles temporo-mandibulaires : une \u00e9valuation m\u00e9thodologique fond\u00e9e sur les crit\u00e8res CONSORT"],"prefix":"10.61872","volume":"136","author":[{"given":"Augusto Jos\u00e9","family":"Alves","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Camila das Virgens","family":"Braz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eriston Lorran da Silva","family":"Mour\u00e3o","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julio Eust\u00e1quio Melo","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nathan Rodrigues","family":"Souza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paula Cristina Pelli","family":"Paiva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Olga Dumont","family":"Flecha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5059-612X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Brender","family":"Leonan-Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"48141","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]]},"container-title":["SWISS DENTAL JOURNAL SSO \u2013 Science and Clinical Topics"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.swissdentaljournal.org\/article\/download\/10303\/8186","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.swissdentaljournal.org\/article\/download\/10303\/8186","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T08:03:38Z","timestamp":1790841818000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.swissdentaljournal.org\/article\/view\/10303"}},"subtitle":["A CONSORT-based methodological appraisal"],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"03","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.61872\/sdj-2026-03-03","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-6501","2296-6498"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-6501","type":"electronic"},{"value":"2296-6498","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]]}}}