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Physical Therapy and Exercise for Temporomandibular Disorders

This study is looking at how manual physical therapy and exercise, when added to routine dental care, might help people with Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD). TMD can cause pain and problems with jaw movement. Researchers want to see if adding physical therapy (PT) to standard dental care improves patient-reported outcomes and how wide you can open your mouth, compared to just receiving standard dental care alone. You might be able to join if you are an active-duty service member between 18 and 55 years old, have TMD symptoms, and haven't used an oral device or had facial injections/surgery recently. The study aims to enroll 60 participants and will compare results over 12 weeks.

Study design
This is an interventional study where participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: standard dental care or standard dental care plus physical therapy. Assessors will be blinded to which group you are in.
What's involved
You will complete questionnaires, have your mouth opening measured, and then receive either standard dental care or standard dental care plus physical therapy for 6 weeks. Your progress will be checked at 0, 6, and 12 weeks.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your progress will be followed for 12 weeks after you enroll in the study.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06602375

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

Recruiting
NAAges 18–55InterventionalTreatment
Brooke Army Medical Center
~60 participants
Updated 2025-02-05 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Standard carePhysical Therapy (PT)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Jaw Functional Limitation Scale - 8 item (JFLS-8)
Measured over From enrollment to 12 weeks post enrollment (primary), will also be assed at 6-weeks

Conditions

Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)

Explore related trials

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Texas1

Study leadership

  • Benjamin R Hando, PhD, DPT · STUDY_CHAIR · Army-Baylor Doctoral Fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy, Brooke Army Medical Center

Who to contact

Mason A Frank, DPT
[email protected]
301-606-8511
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

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

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

What this trial measures

  • Jaw Functional Limitation Scale - 8 item (JFLS-8)From enrollment to 12 weeks post enrollment (primary), will also be assed at 6-weeks

    This study's primary outcome variable is the Jaw Functional Limitation Scale - 8 Item version. This 8-item questionnaire is scored from 0 to 80 points, with higher scores indicating greater levels of functional limitation. The JFLS-8 is a reliable and valid tool to measure patient functional limitations related to the jaw. This questionnaire is supported by the dental and physical therapy communities to measure functional limitations of the jaw. Each item is scored from 0-10. The scores are summed and divided by the number of items answered. No more than two items can be missing for scoring to take place.