Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD): A Whole Systems Multi-site Trial (TCM-TMD)

October 8, 2025 updated by: University of Arizona

TCM for TMD: A Multi-Site Whole Systems Trial

This study sought to evaluate the benefits of different combinations of a Self Care program, involving individually targeted education and support, plus Traditional Chinese Medicine, in terms of patients' experience and outcomes in short-term follow-up (8 weeks, reported here) and long-term follow-up (18-months). The study seeks to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of different patterns of stepped care, which means different levels of care depending on patients' responses at various time-points in the study, which might be used by clinicians treating in the future.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Studies of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) have shown that chronic pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and/or masticatory muscles affects more than 10% of adults at any one time and that one-third of adults will experience TMD over their lifespan (Von Korff et al. 1988). TMD includes a wide range of symptoms: facial pain, jaw-joint pain, headaches, earaches, dizziness, masticatory musculature hypertrophy, limited mouth opening, closed or open lock on the TMJ, abnormal occlusal wear, clicking or popping sounds in the jaw joint, and other complaints (NIH 1996). Although the etiology is poorly understood, longitudinal data suggest that TMD is an enduring, recurrent condition and a resistant problem for many (Dworkin et al. 1992a; Dworkin et al. 1989; Moss 1982; Gale 1978), and it affects individuals in all socioeconomic and ethnic groups (Smith & Syrop 1994). In a study of TMD patients in Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW) in 1990-1995, the mean age was 40.5 years, and 80% of the patients were female. TMD subjects used 1.6 times the services of other health plan members (White 2001).

The Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) proposed by Dworkin et al. (Dworkin & LeResche 1992b) uses a dual axis system for diagnosing and classifying TMD patients. Axis I assigns physical diagnoses of the most commonly occurring masticatory muscle and/or TMJ disorders (arthralgia, arthritis, and arthroses of the TMJ). Axis II assesses behavioral, psychological and psychosocial factors; functional mandibular limitations; psychological distress, including depression; and Graded Scale of Chronic Pain (GCP) (Von Korff et al. 1992). The RDC/TMD criteria for Axes I and II have been used in numerous clinical research studies around the world (Ohrbach & Dworkin 1998; List et al. 1996; Rudy et al. 1995; Garofalo & Wesley 1998; Yap et al. 2002). An NIH-supported international consortium of RDC/TMD clinical researchers has been established to foster multinational studies of TMD using as their core the RDC/TMD standardized methods and criteria (http://www.rdc-tmdinternational.org/). The RDC/TMD has been suggested as a model system for the diagnosis and assessment of all chronic pain conditions (Garofolo & Wesley 1997; Dworkin, Sherman et al. 2002). The RDC/TMD is being used in this study for the primary endpoint.

Epidemiological studies of TMD have focused on estimating prevalence and describing characteristics of persons with and without the condition (Carlsson & LeResche 1995). In more than 75% of the studies reviewed, TMD was not adequately defined. Epidemiologic and clinical studies of TMD confirm its fundamental status as a chronic pain problem (Bell 1986; Fricton et al. 1987; Dworkin et al. 1992a). Yap et al. (2003) found that about 39% of TMD patients also are depressed, and 55% exhibit elevated levels of somatization. Similarly, Lee et al. (1995) found that TMD patients frequently present ear pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches, and previous head or neck trauma.

Despite a number of temporomandibular joint pain clinical trials, no approach has been found to persistently and significantly reduce the severity and disability of this condition. The investigators' recent phase II RCT (n=110 women) showed that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including acupuncture and herbs, was comparable to or better than comprehensive specialty usual care in reducing pain, and better in improving disability. The improvements did not persist, however, once TCM treatment ended. The investigators hypothesize that this may have been due in part to their lack of education in self-care management. Thus, when their pain returned, they knew of no other option than returning to their TCM practitioner which was not permitted under the protocol. This suggests that the appropriate way to incorporate TCM into TMD care should include a self-care component for all participants. This proposal tests TCM versus self- care management (SC) in a realistic manner that is consistent with an integrative, stepped care strategy, one that begins with a minimal self-care intervention (one session) and increases the intensity in relation to patient needs. After period 1 allocation to TCM or self-care, participants not already on TCM will be allocated to self-care or TCM if period 2 if continued treatment is warranted. This study design is more clinically meaningful than a customary two-group randomization, which does not consider patient outcomes (see study Schema below).

The investigators propose a two-site (Tucson and Portland) phase II trial (n=150) that will evaluate the potential short-term pain benefits of TCM. The study hypothesis is that in the two-step clinical allocation model, TCM participants will experience more characteristic facial pain reduction than those who receive only self-care. The investigators will expand the patient population beyond their previous study to include both men and women, as well as individuals who have received previous TMD care (not TCM) and continue to experience TMD pain.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

135

Phase

  • Phase 2

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • TMD as diagnosed according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria-TMD by a trained dentist;
  • worst facial pain greater than 5 out of 10.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • prior surgery for TMD;
  • life-threatening illnesses;
  • conditions that would prevent participation in trial including consumption of Chinese herbs.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Self-care
Self-care for TMD developed by Dworkin, LeResche et al.
Behavioral: Self-care for TMD
a 5-session 8 hour intervention targeting TMD knowledge, stretching and exercises, stress reduction, lifestyle modification
Active Comparator: Traditional Chinese Medicine
Whole systems traditional Chinese medicine, including herbal formulas, acupuncture, tuna (Chinese massage), lifestyle recommendations
Combination product: Traditional Chinese Medicine
Whole systems traditional Chinese medicine, including individually tailored herbal formulas based on a formulary, acupuncture (based on individual TCM diagnoses), tuna (Chinese massage), lifestyle recommendations

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Characteristic Facial Pain Score
Time Frame: Beginning of each treatment period, end of each treatment period (8 weeks later)
The Characteristic Facial Pain (CFP) score is a mean of participant-reported worst pain over the previous two weeks, average pain when having pain over the previous two weeks, and current pain, reported on a 0-10 VAS scale where 0 means no pain and 10 means worst possible pain.
Beginning of each treatment period, end of each treatment period (8 weeks later)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Interference with social activities
Time Frame: Previous 2 weeks
Previous 2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Arizona

Collaborators

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Cheryl Ritenbaugh, PhD, MPH, U of Arizona

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

October 1, 2006

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 3, 2009

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 4, 2009

First Posted (Estimated)

March 5, 2009

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

October 23, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 8, 2025

Last Verified

June 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 06-0289-01
  • U01AT002570 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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