Efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in alleviating pain and improving mandibular function in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Embase databases from database inception to 10 January 2026 to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing acupuncture with control interventions for TMDs. A random-effects model was used to pool the standardised mean differences (SMDs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for changes from baseline in the visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score and maximum mouth opening (MMO). RESULTS: A total of 19 RCTs involving 708 patients were included. Meta-analysis results demonstrated that acupuncture was significantly superior to control interventions in reducing pain (VAS changes from baseline: SMD = -0.65, 95% CI: -0.83, -0.48) and improving mouth opening (MMO changes from baseline: SMD = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.77). Subgroup analyses indicated that needle acupuncture and laser acupuncture had similar efficacy. A treatment frequency of ≥2 times per week was potentially associated with more favourable outcomes than once per week. CONCLUSION: Current evidence suggests that acupuncture is associated with a statistically significant reduction in pain and improvement in mouth opening. A higher treatment frequency (≥2 times per week) may be associated with better efficacy. Future high-quality studies with long-term follow-up are required to further confirm the optimal treatment regimen.