Medical sciences
Conservative and Minimally Invasive Treatments for Temporomandibular Disorders Versus Inactive Controls: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials
By Țănculescu O, Țarevici EL, Bodnar P and 12 others.
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are musculoskeletal conditions in which rehabilitation aims to reduce pain and restore mandibular mobility and function. We estimated the between-group effects of conservative and minimally invasive treatments versus inactive controls and examined important sources of variation.
Methods
We included randomized controlled trials published in 2015-2025 in adults diagnosed with RDC/TMD or DC/TMD. PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus and CENTRAL were searched, with the final searches completed in January 2026. The review was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251250251). We synthesized comparisons of conservative and minimally invasive treatments with inactive controls in adults with TMD. Random-effects meta-analyses used REML and modified Hartung-Knapp confidence intervals. Two human reviewers independently assessed risk of bias with RoB 2 and certainty with GRADE.