The Effect of Manual Physical Therapy and Exercise in Addition to Routine Dental Care in Individuals With Temporomandibular Disorders

Launched by BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER · Sep 17, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how manual physical therapy (PT) and exercise, when added to regular dental care, can help active-duty military members who have temporomandibular disorders (TMD). TMD can cause pain and discomfort in the jaw, making it hard to open your mouth fully. The researchers want to find out if those who receive both standard dental care and personalized PT for six weeks will feel better and be able to open their mouths wider compared to those who just receive standard care alone. They will assess participants at the beginning of the study, after six weeks, and again at twelve weeks to see how they improve.

To be eligible for the trial, participants must be active-duty service members experiencing TMD symptoms and be able to attend follow-up visits for twelve weeks. They cannot have had any recent facial surgeries, injections, or other specific medical conditions that could affect the results. Those who join the trial will continue to receive care from their regular dental providers and will fill out questionnaires about their pain and movement. Participants in the PT group will have a personalized evaluation and will attend PT sessions twice a week for six weeks. This study aims to provide insights into the best ways to manage TMD symptoms effectively.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Active-Duty Service Members
• • Complaint of TMD symptoms
• • Must be able to be followed for twelve weeks after consent
• • TMD Screener score ≥ 3 45
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Actively in a Trainee status
• • Utilized oral device in past 6 months
• • Facial injection therapy in the prior 6 months
• • Facial surgery in the preceding 6 months
• • Serious spinal pathology (acute fracture, active cancer, instability)
• • Diagnosed neurological or rheumatological disease
• • Currently under litigation related to temporomandibular or cervical spine pain(s)
• • Currently undergoing Medical Evaluation Board (MEB)
• • Retiring or separating from the military within a year