Efficacy of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Temporomandibular Disorders.

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) refers to a group of musculoskeletal conditions that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the masticatory muscles, and the associated structures. It is assumed that 30 to 40% of cases of acute painful TMD becomes chronic. Chronic pain is a significant public health problem, affecting professional and social activities, emotional state, and quality of life. The pathophysiological mechanisms involved in chronic orofacial pain are complex and multifaceted and not yet fully understood. The coexistence of psychological factors associated with vast peripheral and central mechanisms makes chronic orofacial pain treatment a complex challenge. Due to the complexity of chronic TMDs, some patients remain refractory to current therapeutic methods. Thus, several efforts have been made to develop therapies aimed at the treatment of neuroplastic changes induced by chronic pain. In this sense, transcranial stimulation methods appear to be a promising technique. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, safe, and approved treatment for clinical use in psychiatric disorders such as depression and chronic pain. Given the above, it is necessary to develop studies to investigate the TMS effectiveness in chronic TMD. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with chronic temporomandibular disorders. An additional objective is to determine possible predictors for treatment success based on the assessment of functional brain connectivity and psychosocial characteristics.