Patient Education, Self-management and Physiotherapy for Chronic Temporomandibular Disorders

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to understand whether a simple education and self-management program with home exercises can reduce pain and improve daily function in adults with long-lasting jaw pain caused by temporomandibular disorders (TMD) as much as a more intensive hands-on physiotherapy approach.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does an education and self-management exercise program reduce jaw pain, improve jaw function and reduce how much pain interferes with daily activities?
2. Does this program improve outcomes similarly to the usual treatment for TMDs, which includes also manual therapy and supervised exercise sessions?

Researchers will compare an education and self-management program with home exercises to usual physiotherapy care to see which approach leads to better pain relief and daily functioning over time.

Participants will:

Attend three evaluation visits (at the start of the study, after 6 weeks, and after 16 weeks);

Be assigned to one of two treatment groups:

1. A group receiving two physiotherapy-supervised education and self-management sessions with personalized home exercises; or
2. A group receiving six physiotherapy usual treatment sessions, which may include education, exercises, and hands-on therapy;

Participants will complete questionnaires about:

Jaw pain, Jaw function, Body pain, Neck disability, Oral behaviors, Pain catastrophizing, Fear of movement, Confidence in managing pain.

Measures of mouth opening will be taken (non-painful, maximal and maximal with assistance) with a ruler at all time points.

This study includes adults aged 18 to 65 years who have jaw pain for at least 3 months.

Conditions

• Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD)
• Chronic Pain

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Patient education and self-management

This intervention is a structured, patient-centered education and self-management program for adults with painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD). It is delivered one-on-one by a trained physiotherapist and focuses on improving understanding of jaw pain, reducing harmful oral habits, and restoring confident jaw movement. Participants receive individualized education about TMD, pain mechanisms, stress and habit influences, and practical strategies to manage daily activities such as chewing, speaking, posture, and sleep. The program addresses fear of movement and emphasizes safe, gradual jaw use. Each participant is given a personalized home exercise program targeting jaw and neck mobility, coordination, and muscle relaxation. Participants also set personal goals to support long-term self-management.

PROCEDURE

Usual treatment (multimodal)

Usual care consists of a comprehensive physiotherapy program commonly used for adults with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Treatment is delivered by a trained physiotherapist. Interventions may include hands-on manual therapy to reduce muscle tension, joint mobilizations to restore normal jaw movement, and supervised therapeutic exercises targeting jaw and neck mobility, coordination, and strength. Participants also receive education and advice regarding posture, oral habits, and daily activity modifications. Participants will have prescribed at-home therapeutic exercises (up to 5 jointly chosen by PT and patient). Participants will receive the same written booklet as the education and self-management arm.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ciusss de L'Est de l'Île de Montréal

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-01-16

Primary Completion

2026-06-30

Completion

2026-08-31

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations