ABORDAGENS FISIOTERAPÊUTICAS NO TRATAMENTO CONSERVADOR DOS DISTÚRBIOS TEMPOROMANDIBULARES: EVIDÊNCIAS SOBRE TERAPIA MANUAL, ELETROTERAPIA E FOTOTERAPIA

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are among the leading causes of non-odontogenic orofacial pain and have a significant impact on patients’ quality of life. Conservative management is considered the first-line treatment, with physiotherapy playing a central role through interventions such as manual therapy, electrotherapy, and phototherapy. Current evidence indicates that manual therapy reduces pain and improves mandibular mobility, with enhanced outcomes when combined with therapeutic exercises and cervical region treatment. Electrotherapy, particularly transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, has shown effective analgesic benefits and broad clinical applicability, while microcurrent stimulation has emerged as a promising technique. Phototherapy, especially low-level laser therapy or photobiomodulation, consistently demonstrates pain relief and functional recovery, although heterogeneity in application parameters remains; high-intensity laser therapy is gaining attention as an innovative alternative under validation. Collectively, these modalities underscore the value of a multimodal and individualized approach to physiotherapy in TMD management, although further multicenter studies with stronger methodological rigor are needed to establish standardized clinical protocols.