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Physical Therapy for TMJ Dysfunction

N/A

Waitlist Available

Research Sponsored by Brooke Army Medical Center

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Be between 18 and 65 years old

Must not have

Diagnosed neurological or rheumatological disease

Facial injection therapy in the prior 6 months

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up collected at 6- and 12-weeks

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial aims to see if adding physical therapy to standard care helps US military service members with temporomandibular disorders. They want to see if the physical therapy improves patient outcomes and mouth opening more

Who is the study for?

This trial is for active-duty US military service-members with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Participants must be receiving routine dental care. Those with additional conditions that might interfere with the study or who cannot commit to the full duration of treatment are likely excluded.

What is being tested?

The study is testing if adding a tailored, individualized physical therapy program twice a week for six weeks to standard dental care improves outcomes in TMD patients more than standard dental care alone. Outcomes measured include patient-reported improvements and jaw movement.

What are the potential side effects?

While not explicitly listed, potential side effects may include discomfort or pain from physical therapy exercises, temporary increase in jaw pain after sessions, and possible fatigue related to exercise regimens.

Eligibility Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

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I have been diagnosed with a neurological or rheumatological disease.

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I have not had facial injections in the last 6 months.

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I do not have serious spine problems like fractures, cancer, or instability.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ collected at 6- and 12-weeks

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~collected at 6- and 12-weeks

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and collected at 6- and 12-weeks for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Jaw Functional Limitation Scale - 8 item (JFLS-8)

Secondary study objectives

Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI)

Global Rating of Change (GRoC)

Healthcare Utilization

+5 more

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Standard care plus physical therapyExperimental Treatment2 Interventions

Participants randomized to this group will receive standard care from their treating dental provider. In addition, they will receive routine physical therapy interventions over a 6-week (+/- 2 week) period. Study participants will receive treatments based on their clinical examination. Subjects will attend up to 12 sessions over 6-weeks (+/- 2 weeks). The initial physical therapy visit will be 60-minutes long with all subsequent appointments being 30-minutes, to include any booster sessions. The interventions will be pragmatic in nature, with provided treatment being specific to the subject's specific complaints, goals, and examination identified impairments.

Group II: Standard CareActive Control1 Intervention

Those randomized to the standard care (control) group will follow the plan of care determined by their treating dental provider. This group will receive standard (routine) care from the dental provider for the treatment of TMD. These decisions will be based on the clinical judgment of the dental provider, as is customary with routine care for TMD.

0 / 3Eligibility criteria met