This study was carried out in 30 patients with temporomandibular joint disorders applied to physical medicine and rehabilitation department of Yakutiye Research Hospital of Atatürk University Medicine School. Our aim was to compare various treatment protocols in the treatment of the temporomandibular joint disorders and to investigate whether they have superiority on each other. 30 patients diagnosed as temporomandibular joint disorders with magnetic resonance imaging, direct graphy, physical examination and anamneses were divided randomly into two groups consisting of 15 persons, and treatment protocols were started as follows; I. group: Ultrasound, infrared and exercise treatment, fifteen sessions.II. group: Laser, infrared and exercise treatment, fifteen sessions. Range of motion (passive-active, lateral deviation), sensitivity with local palpation, presence of joint click, evaluation of the pain (during the rest, chewing, speech, swallow and yawning) were used as evaluation criteria (before treatment, after treatment, in 1^st and 3^rd month controls).

After the treatment we found significant improvements in all clinical parameters (p<0.05) except joint click (p>0.05) in both groups. In the first month controls, there were significant improvements in all pain parameters and sensitivity with local palpations in both groups (p<0.05), but there was no significant improvement in joint click (p>0.05). The improvement in range of motion was significant in group 1 (p<0.05), but insignificant in group 2 (p>0.05). In third month controls, there were significant improvements in pain during chewing and speech in group 1 (p<0.05). But we found no significant improvement in clinical parameters and other parameters related with pain in both groups (p>0.05).

In conclusion, although we detected that ultrasound and laser treatments effect on temporomandibular joint disorders, they weren't superior each other.