Clinical Research Directory

Effects of Focal Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders of Muscular Origin

The objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in improving pain in patients with TMD pain after 5 weeks of treatment, 1 month and 3 months after the end of treatment. As secondary objectives, we plan to evaluate the effectiveness of focal shockwave therapy in relation to: 1. Range of motion (ROM) of the temporomandibular joint using goniometry after 5 weeks of treatment; 2. Degree of inflammation, using ultrasound evaluation in the temporomandibular joint relating to the degree of pain after focal shockwave therapy for 5 weeks; 3. Jaw movement (MM), joint noise (RA), joint pressure (PA) and disability index (DI) will be measured at each treatment session and after 5 weeks of treatment, 1 month and 3 months after the end of treatment in the affected joints; 4. Quality of life will be assessed using the "Short Form Health 36" questionnaire (SF-36) during the 5 weeks of treatment, 1 month and 3 months after the end of treatment; 5. Pain control medication will also be considered and compared before and after the proposed treatment for 5 weeks. Safety will be assessed throughout the study by monitoring the incidence of study-related adverse events. All patients will be contacted periodically and encouraged to report any side effects.

CBCT and Audiological Analysis of the TMJ-Tinnitus Relationship

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) and subjective tinnitus at both morphological and functional levels. Current literature suggests that somatosensory inputs from the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and masticatory muscles can modulate auditory pathways, a phenomenon known as Somatosensory Tinnitus. However, the specific role of TMJ bone morphology and critical neighboring structures, such as the Petrotympanic Fissure (PTF), in this interaction remains unclear. In this clinical study, patients with tinnitus will undergo a comprehensive evaluation including Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) to quantitatively analyze condylar morphology and osteoarthritic changes. Additionally, audiological tests will be performed to assess the functional state of the auditory system. This multidisciplinary approach aims to clarify the biological link between TMD and tinnitus, potentially improving diagnostic protocols and highlighting the importance of TMJ stabilization in tinnitus management.

Cross Cultural Adaptation, Reliability &Validity of The Arabic Version of 8_Item Jaw Functional Limitation Scale In Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

The purpose of this study is to test if the translated Arabic version of the (jaw functional limitation scale -8) JFLS\_8 , valid (face, content, feasibility) ,reliable (internal consistency, test retest) and culturally adapted enough to quantify the impact of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders on jow function in arabic people or not?

Alloplastic Total Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Replacement Registry

Prospective data will be collected in approximately 200 patients treated with an TMJ replacement. Patients will be followed up according to the standard (routine) for up to 5 years after the treatment. Data collection will include underlying disease, treatment details, functional and patient reported outcomes (PRO)s and anticipated or procedure-related adverse events (i.e. complications). This registry is designed to be able to assess the number of patients who refuse alloplastic total TMJ replacement. Therefore, the participating sites are asked to register all cases of refused TMJ replacements too.

The Effect of Body Awareness Therapy on Pain, Function and Psychosocial Parameters in Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

This randomized, single-blind controlled trial aims to investigate the effectiveness of Body Awareness Therapy (BAT) on pain, functional limitations, and psychosocial outcomes in individuals with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). TMD is characterized by orofacial pain, impaired jaw function, and increased psychosocial burden, yet current physiotherapy approaches may not fully address the biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying these symptoms. BAT is a structured mind-body physiotherapy intervention designed to improve postural awareness, interoceptive sensitivity, breathing regulation, and movement control. In this study, participants will be randomly assigned to either BAT or a standard physiotherapy control intervention for a defined treatment period. Primary outcomes will include pain intensity and jaw functional limitations, while secondary outcomes will assess body awareness, anxiety, stress, and quality of life. Evaluations will be conducted at baseline and post-intervention. The findings of this trial may provide evidence for integrating biopsychosocial and awareness-based physiotherapy into TMD rehabilitation.

Postoperative Assessment of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Temporomandibular Joint Surgery

The goal of this observational study is to evaluate postoperative outcomes following temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery and to compare the effectiveness of intraoperative platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) injections in patients with temporomandibular joint disorders. The study includes adult patients who underwent TMJ surgery and received either PRP or PRF intraoperatively. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Whether intraoperative PRP or PRF injection is associated with differences in postoperative pain intensity and recovery. Whether PRP and PRF differ in their effects on postoperative jaw function, including maximum mouth opening and joint symptoms. If there is a comparison group: Researchers will compare patients who received intraoperative PRP with those who received intraoperative PRF to assess differences in postoperative pain, functional outcomes, and joint-related symptoms. Participants will: Have their existing medical records reviewed retrospectively. Provide postoperative outcome data derived from routine clinical follow-up, with no prospective recruitment or intervention.

Temporomandibular Joints Mobility and Head Posture: Influence of Manual Therapy and Exercises in Dental Patients.

Goal: This clinical study aims to investigate how the range of motion of the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) changes in relation to the patient's head posture. Furthermore, we will assess the efficacy of a specific physiotherapy program in improving TMJ mobility and influencing head alignment in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment or prosthetic reconstruction. Scope: The project will evaluate TMJ function and head alignment in orthodontic or prosthetic patients aged 11-65. The core focus is to analyze the correlation between head posture and TMJ mobility and to measure changes in these parameters before and after the manual physiotherapy intervention.

Clinical Validation of DystoniaNet Deep Learning Platform for Diagnosis of Isolated Dystonia

This research involves retrospective and prospective studies for clinical validation of a DystoniaNet deep learning platform for the diagnosis of isolated dystonia.

Comparison of the Effect of Pain Neuroscience Education Combined With Physiotherapy, and Physiotherapy Alone in Temporomandibular Disorders

This research study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) when it is added to a physiotherapy program for people experiencing chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD). To see whether adding PNE to physiotherapy program would provides additional benefits in reducing pain intensity, improving psychological well-being, and enhancing functional outcomes. The findings are expected to provide new insights into more comprehensive and patient-centered treatment strategies for managing chronic TMD. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Control Group: Physiotherapy only PNE Group: Physiotherapy plus Pain Neuroscience Education Both groups will receive their respective treatments for a set period of time.

Assessing Symptom and Mood Dynamics in Pain Using the Smartphone Application SOMA

This study relies on the use of a smartphone application (SOMA) that the investigators developed for tracking daily mood, pain, and activity status in acute pain, chronic pain, and healthy controls over four months.The primary goal of the study is to use fluctuations in daily self-reported symptoms to identify computational predictors of acute-chronic pain transition, pain recovery, and/or chronic pain maintenance or flareups. The general study will include anyone with current acute or chronic pain, while a smaller sub-study will use a subset of patients from the chronic pain group who have been diagnosed with chronic low back pain, failed back surgery syndrome, or fibromyalgia. These sub-study participants will first take part in one in-person EEG testing session while completing simple interoception and reinforcement learning tasks and then begin daily use of the SOMA app. Electrophysiologic and behavioral data from the EEG testing session will be used to determine predictors of treatment response in the sub-study.

Brain Connectivity Patterns in Chronic Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

This study addresses the timely problem of painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD), the most common cause of orofacial pain second only to tooth pain. Findings from previous studies suggest that dysregulation of connectivity within specific brain circuits is part of chronic pain pathophysiology. This study will identify connectivity patterns within those brain circuits as potential signatures for pain- related disability in chronic TMD pain participants. New knowledge regarding these brain connectivity patterns is expected to be significant because it will support improved phenotyping of this heterogeneous participant population. It is also expected that this finding can potentially be extrapolated to other chronic pain conditions, such as back pain, migraine headache, and fibromyalgia that are frequently comorbid conditions in chronic TMD participants.

Post-Isometric Relaxation in Temporomandibular Disorders

This planned randomized, single-blind clinical trial will investigate the effects of adding the Post-Isometric Relaxation (PIR) technique to a standard postural exercise program in individuals with moderate to severe temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD). Forty volunteers aged 18-25 years will be recruited and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (postural exercises + PIR) or a control group (postural exercises only). The intervention will be delivered three times per week for six weeks. Primary outcomes will include cervical range of motion, mandibular mobility, head anterior tilt, and thoracic kyphosis index, measured before and after the intervention. The study aims to determine whether PIR provides additional benefits to standard postural exercises in improving jaw and neck function and postural alignment in young adults with TMD.

Conservative Therapies in the Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders

The present study was designed to evaluate different conservative therapies in patients with temporomandibular disorders. A total of 160 patients will be selected after the diagnosis of TMD according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorder (DC/TMD), axis I. Patients will be randomly divided into five groups: OD group (n=32): treated with an occlusal device; LLLT group (n=32): treated with infrared low-level laser; ODL group (n=32): treated with OD + LLLT; LAT group (n=32): treated with laser acupuncture and ODLAT group (n=32): treated with both OD and LAT. Patients undergoing therapy with a stabilizing plate (made using the simplified technique) will be instructed to use the device every night while sleeping for four weeks. In both the LLLT and LAT groups, the protocol involved five applications: one at baseline, followed by four subsequent weekly sessions. The intensity of pain will be classified using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Mandible function will be assessed by maximum unassisted mouth opening. The impact of therapies on oral health will also be evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) instrument in a simplified form.

Effectiveness of iPRF Injections in Temporomandibular Joints Degeneration Management

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of intra-articular platelet-rich fibrin (iPRF) injections in the management of moderate and mild cases of degeneration of the temporomandibular joints. This randomized, two-arm controlled trial will involve 42 adult patients diagnosed with mild or moderate degeneration of the temporomandibular joints on the basis of clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. Qualified study participants will be randomly assigned to two groups. The studied group will receive two injections of iPRF with an interval of 30 days, while the control group will receive injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) during this time. Each subject will be tested on the day of the first injection (D0), on the day of the second injection (D30), and then 60 (D60) and 12 (D120) days after the first injection using MRI/CT, Doppler Hi-dop, clinical examination and surveys.

Evaluation of the Effect of Laser Therapy on Lateral Pterygoid Muscle in Patients With Wilke's Stage I and II Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD): Case Series Study

The purpose of this study will be to evaluate the effect of laser therapy on lateral pterygoid muscle in patients with Wilke's stage I and II temporomandibular disorders (TMD).

Patient Satisfaction in Occlusal Splints Fabricated Using Fully Digital Versus Conventional Workflow

According to published literatures, the prevalence of TMD is approximately 10% in patients over 18 years of age with a considerable proportion being women of reproductive age. The treatment of TMD presents the following goals: decreasing joint and masticatory muscle pain, increasing the range of motion in the mandible, preventing degenerative changes in the articulating tissues. Management of TMD can be either conservative or surgical treatments, the conservative treatments include analgesia, medications, physical therapy, occlusal adjustment, splint therapy, localized steam application, and external muscle massage. The occlusal splint therapy is considered a common treatment option for TMD management. Flat stabilization splint is the preferred splint for such cases. It is designed to promote occlusal stability and decrease muscles tension by altering occlusion and allowing complete seating of the condyle in centric relation. The evolution of digital technology created new era of dentistry that successfully digitalized the traditional workflow of occlusal splints including designing and manufacturing. Furthermore, virtual facebow and dynamic jaw relation record using jaw tracking device are another digital reward. The digital workflow can offer more predictable approach for occlusal splint construction, It could eliminate the traditional technical errors and enhance the occlusal accuracy

Long-term Safety and Performance of Materialise's Patient-specific TMJ System.

This is a long-term (10 years), retrospective-prospective, observational, single-arm, monocenter study of patients to be treated with the Materialise TMJ Total Arthroplasty System for TMJ replacement. The study will evaluate the efficiency, safety, clinical performance, accuracy, benefits, and risks associated with long-term use and the impact on life quality and diet of the TMJ system, its fixation devices, TMJ Implant trial, and guides in the adolescent and adult populations.

Cognitive Exercise Therapy Approach Biopsychosocial Questionnaire (BETY-BQ) in Patient with Temporomandibular Disorders

The aim of this study is to investigate the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the Cognitive Exercise Therapy Approach-Biopsychosocial Questionnaire (BETY-BQ) in individuals with temporomandibular disorder. The following are alternative hypotheses of the study: * BETY-BQ has significant convergence with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 measuring depression. * BETY-BQ has significant convergence with the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 measuring physical symptoms. * BETY-BQ has significant convergence with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 measuring anxiety. * BETY-BQ has significant convergence with the Short Form-36 measuring quality of life. * BETY-BQ has significant convergence with the Craniomandibular Pain and Disability Inventory measuring disability. * BETY-BQ has significant convergence with the Mandibular Function Impairment Questionnaire measuring function. * BETY-BQ has significant stability. * BETY-BQ has significant internal consistency.

Tele-Rehabilitation in Patients With Temporomandibular Dysfunction

Temporomandibular disorder or TMD is characterized by a set of symptoms such as: pain, decreased range of motion and joint noise. It's origin is multifactorial, which may be related to biological aspects, environmental and psychosocial. The multimodal approach has been widely used in physiotherapy for the treatment of TMDs. Physiotherapy has been walking together with technology so that telerehabilitation can be a reality, contributing so that quality care reaches the patient, in the impossibility office-to-face service. The objective of this study is to verify the effect of telerehabilitation on pain outcomes, range of motion, functionality and biopsychosocial aspects in individuals with temporomandibular disorders. Will be a randomized, controlled and blinded clinical trial was carried out. The study will be divided into two moments: evaluation and intervention. Evaluations will be carried out using the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders: Clinical Protocol and Assessment Instruments (DC/TMD), the Fonseca Anamnesis Index (IAF), the Numerical Pain Scale (END) and the Functional Limitation Questionnaire (MFIQ). Individuals will be randomized into 2 groups: Group A (in person) Group B (telerehabilitation). Both groups will receive treatment physical therapy for 12 weeks. After collecting the data, they will be tabulated and analyzed using a 5% significance level.

Efficacy of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Temporomandibular Disorders.

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) refers to a group of musculoskeletal conditions that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the masticatory muscles, and the associated structures. It is assumed that 30 to 40% of cases of acute painful TMD becomes chronic. Chronic pain is a significant public health problem, affecting professional and social activities, emotional state, and quality of life. The pathophysiological mechanisms involved in chronic orofacial pain are complex and multifaceted and not yet fully understood. The coexistence of psychological factors associated with vast peripheral and central mechanisms makes chronic orofacial pain treatment a complex challenge. Due to the complexity of chronic TMDs, some patients remain refractory to current therapeutic methods. Thus, several efforts have been made to develop therapies aimed at the treatment of neuroplastic changes induced by chronic pain. In this sense, transcranial stimulation methods appear to be a promising technique. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, safe, and approved treatment for clinical use in psychiatric disorders such as depression and chronic pain. Given the above, it is necessary to develop studies to investigate the TMS effectiveness in chronic TMD. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with chronic temporomandibular disorders. An additional objective is to determine possible predictors for treatment success based on the assessment of functional brain connectivity and psychosocial characteristics.

Internal Photobiomodulation For Management Of Temporomandibular Joint Internal Derangement

Aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of internal versus external photobiomodulation (PBM) in the management of patients with TMJ internal derangements (TMJ-ID).

Balance, TMJ, Social Adaptive Assessment in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder

The aim of our study is to evaluate temporomandibular joint (TMJ), cervical posture, balance, dual-task performance, and social adaptation skills in individuals with autism. The study will be conducted at Bartın Lider Special Education and Rehabilitation Center following the approval of the ethics committee. Individuals determined by the sample size calculated through power analysis will be included in the study. First, the socio-demographic characteristics (age, height, body weight, body mass index, education level, exercise and smoking habits, etc.) of the participants who voluntarily join the study will be recorded. Participants will be divided into two groups: individuals with typical motor development and those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the same assessment tools will be used for both groups. Individuals with typical motor development will serve as the control group. The assessment tools include the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, the 10-Meter Walk Test, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, the PostureScreen Android-based posture assessment application, and the Helkimo Clinical Dysfunction Index for craniomandibular disorders. Based on the evaluation results, the relationships between TMJ, cervical posture, functional balance, dual-task performance, and social adaptation skills in individuals with autism will be analyzed and compared with those of individuals with typical motor development.

Temporomandibular Disorder in Use of Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the possible role of levonorgestrel intrauterine system use(LIU) in the pathogenesis of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). In this clinical trial, levonorgestrel intrauterine system patients (n=30) aged 25-50 and control group patients (n=30) with the same demographics and age range are used. The main questions it aims to answer are: To compare the frequency of temporomandibular dysfunction in women using the levonorgestrel intrauterine system with the control group of the same demographic and age range. The levonorgestrel intrauterine system use group consisted of 50 women who had previously a mirena implanted by a gynecologist at least 3 months ago due to menstrual bleeding and pelvic pain. The control group included 50 randomised healthy women who had regular menstrual cycles and were not taking any medication.

EffIcacy Between Arthrocentesis With High Versus Low Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid in Treatment of TMJ Disorders

The study will be carried out in Patients in two Groups aged between 17 to 70 years , of both sexes, who had painful symptoms, with or without presence of joint noise, and had unilateral or bilateral internal derangement of the TMJ proven by clinical examination, with no improvement after conservative treatment.