ArticleBMC complementary medicine and therapies2026
The efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of TMJ balancing therapy for temporomandibular joint disorder: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Article in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Temporomandibular Disorders Beyond Orofacial Pain: A Narrative Review of Musculoskeletal, Headache, and Central Nervous System Implications.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Review
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundTemporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) are common musculoskeletal conditions affecting the masticatory system, leading to pain and functional limitations. Despite various conventional treatments, parts of the 2021 Korean Medicine Standard Clinical Practice Guidelines for TMD remain unaddressed due to insufficient supporting evidence for certain modalities like intraoral balancing appliances. This study aims to investigate a novel approach, temporomandibular joint balancing therapy (TBT), as a potential effective treatment.
methodsThis will be a single-center, randomized, assessor-blinded, parallel-group clinical trial. A total of 30 eligible participants aged 19 to 70 years with chronic TMD (VAS ≥ 40 mm for ≥ 3 months) will be randomized 1:1 to either the experimental group (TBT) or the control group (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, TENS). Both interventions will be administered twice a week for 6 weeks (12 sessions). The primary outcome is the mean change in temporomandibular joint pain measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS, 100 mm) at 6 weeks compared to baseline. Secondary outcomes include worst TMD pain VAS, jaw range of motion (pain-free opening, maximum unassisted opening), Jaw Functional Limitation Scale (JFLS-8), DC/TMD Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS 2.0), Treatment Expectancy Scale, Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), EQ-5D, EQ-VAS, medical costs, lost productivity costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Data will be collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 10 weeks (for follow-up). Statistical analysis will compare outcomes between groups using appropriate methods, primarily intention-to-treat analysis. DISCUSSION: This study protocol details a randomized controlled trial designed to provide robust evidence on the efficacy, safety, and economic feasibility of TBT for TMD. The findings are expected to contribute to the evidence base for TMD management, potentially informing future clinical practice guidelines, particularly concerning the use of intraoral balancing appliances in Korean medicine.
trial registrationThis trial was retrospectively registered with the CRIS ( http://cris.nih.go.kr ). Registry: https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?seq=29064 , trial registration number: KCT0010382, date of registration: 3 April 2025.
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