Clinical Research Advances in Acupuncture Treatment for Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Abstract

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are common and intractable conditions affecting the oral and maxillofacial region. Given the limitations of conservative Western medical treatments in terms of long-term efficacy and side effects, acupuncture—a distinctive non-pharmacological intervention in traditional Chinese medicine—is increasingly recognized for its clinical value in the treatment of TMD. This article systematically reviews recent advances in clinical research on acupuncture for TMD. It focuses on the differences in efficacy and mechanisms of action among various acupuncture modalities—including traditional manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture, warm acupuncture, laser acupuncture, and scalp acupuncture—analyzes existing limitations in current research, such as insufficient standardization of procedures and difficulties in implementing blinded studies, and outlines future research directions. The aim is to provide a more robust evidence-based foundation for the standardized integrated Traditional Chinese and Western medicine diagnosis and treatment of TMD.