Effect of Therapy for Myofascial Facial Pain on Bruxism and Nocturnal Clenching Using a Portable Device

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating how occlusal splints, also known as gnathological splints, affect daytime and nighttime teeth grinding and clenching in adults with chronic jaw muscle pain caused by temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Bruxism and clenching are repeated or sustained jaw muscle activities that can worsen jaw pain and problems, and this study uses objective measurements to better understand these effects. The study compares adults with TMD who use a night-time occlusal splint to healthy adults without TMD. Participants with TMD will use a portable device called dia-BRUXOae to record muscle activity in the jaw muscles for 24 hours at three points: before starting splint treatment, two weeks after, and two months after. Along with the device recordings, participants will report their facial pain levels and awareness of clenching or grinding during the day. A control group of healthy adults will have two 24-hour muscle activity recordings two months apart for comparison. During the study, participants will wear the device and complete self-reports on their pain and jaw muscle activity at regular intervals. Researchers will measure muscle electrical activity, activation time, and patterns to compare between TMD patients and healthy individuals. The main measure is the Bruxism Personal Index (BPI) from the 24-hour recordings, with assessments at baseline, two weeks, and two months. This study aims to improve diagnosis and treatment of bruxism and TMD by combining objective data with patient experiences.

Bruxism Therapy of Facial Pain