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

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)

In brief

The goal of this randomized clinical trial among US military active-duty service-members with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is to determine whether standard care plus 6-weeks of tailored, individualized physical therapy (PT) treatment provides greater benefit than standard care alone in patient-reported outcomes, and maximal mouth opening. The aims of the study are to compare outcomes in individuals with TMD that receive standard care treatment versus standard care plus PT interventions at 0-, 6-, and 12-weeks. The investigators anticipate that subjects in the standard care plus PT group will exhibit improved patient-reported outcomes, and maximal mouth opening compared to those who received standard care alone. Additionally, the investigators will compare the amount and type of healthcare utilization between the two groups (Standard Care and Standard Care + PT) in the 12-month period following enrollment in the study. All participants will be managed by their primary dental provider and receive care as deemed appropriate by their provider. All participants will complete patient-reported outcome measures and have their jaw motion measured. Those randomized to the standard care plus PT group will also receive a tailored PT evaluation followed by an individualized plan of care two times per week for up to six weeks.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06602375

Run by

Brooke Army Medical Center

People needed

60

Starts

2024-09-16

Expected to finish

2026-06-30

Last updated by the study team

2025-02-05

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 55. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Active-Duty Service Members
• Complaint of TMD symptoms
• Must be able to be followed for twelve weeks after consent
• TMD Screener score ≥ 3 45

You may not qualify if…

• 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

Where it is running

• Brooke Army Medical Center — Fort Sam Houston, Texas, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.