Effect of Marjoram, Vetiver, and Lavender Oil in the Treatment of Bruxism

June 30, 2026 updated by: SULTAN UZUN, Necmettin Erbakan University
The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of the use of lavender, marjoram and vetiver oil via inhalation and/or massage application on the treatment of bruxism.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Bruxism is a repetitive jaw muscle activity characterized by clenching or grinding of the teeth and/or bracing or thrusting of the mandible. Due to increasing evidence suggesting that it may serve a physiological purpose, bruxism has been defined as jaw muscle activity that may occur during sleep and/or wakefulness.

Various methods have been proposed for the treatment of bruxism. These treatment approaches include pharmacological treatments (such as muscle relaxants and clonazepam), orthopedic treatments (such as stabilization splints and rigid stabilization appliances), needling treatments (including acupuncture, botulinum toxin type A, and dry needling), physical and behavioral approaches (such as relaxation training, stress management, biofeedback, and sleep hygiene instructions), manual treatments including exercises (trigger point therapy, soft tissue techniques, exercises, postural corrections, joint mobilizations, and cervical spine treatment), and other physical therapy modalities (including low-level laser therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, and short-wave diathermy).

Manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and their combination have been shown to effectively reduce pain and improve mandibular function. Massage therapy, which activates the pain-gate mechanism, is an effective treatment option for pain relief. It also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and helps restore muscle length and flexibility. In addition, massage therapy improves local blood circulation and promotes the production of endogenous opioids, leading to relaxing effects and reduced pain perception. These effects are of particular interest in the management of bruxism; however, this treatment approach has not been adequately investigated despite its promising results.

Massage therapy can be combined with aromatherapy, one of the most commonly used complementary therapy methods. Its therapeutic effects are based on stimulation of the olfactory system and absorption of active molecules through the skin. Various studies have investigated the analgesic effects of aromatherapy massage using lavender essential oil. Lavandula angustifolia is a well-known medicinal and aromatic plant with anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. In addition, it has antiseptic, soothing, circulation-stimulating, and cell-regenerating effects. Lavender oil has been reported to reduce pain in patients with various conditions, including neuropathic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, burns, and cancer-related pain. Apart from lavender oil, marjoram oil may contribute to pain control and anxiety reduction, while vetiver oil is known for its sedative effects. However, the effects of aromatherapy massage using these essential oils have not been adequately investigated in patients with bruxism.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of lavender, marjoram, and vetiver essential oils administered through aromatherapy massage in patients with bruxism. Objective outcomes will be assessed through ultrasonographic evaluation of the masseter muscle, while subjective outcomes will be evaluated using patient-reported questionnaires. The findings of this study may contribute to the development of complementary treatment approaches for the management of bruxism.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

64

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Merkez
      • Bilecik, Merkez, Turkey (Türkiye), 11100
        • Bilecik Seyh Edebali University

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

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • • Patients between 18-25

    • Patients with full dentition including 2nd molars
    • Patients without facial asymmetry
    • Patients without history of sensitivity or allergy to plants
    • Patients without olfactory disorders

Exclusion Criteria:

  • • Patients with systemic (asthma history) and/or neuromuscular disease

    • Patients with orofacial pain not caused by bruxism
    • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery or injection history
    • Use of any medical drug affecting the muscular system
    • Patients with developmental deformity or surgery history in the maxillofacial region (facial trauma history, resection history, etc.)
    • TMJ pathologies (major condylar changes seen on panoramic radiograph)
    • Radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy history
    • Ongoing orthodontic treatment
    • Removable prosthesis use
    • Inflammatory connective tissue diseases
    • Pregnancy
    • Obstructive sleep apnea
    • Local skin infection over the myofascial area
    • Reluctance to take responsibility for the work

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
Placebo Comparator: Control Group
Participants receive carrier oil (sesame oil) administered through inhalation and extraoral massage following the same protocol as the intervention group. Outcomes are evaluated using ultrasonographic measurements and patient-reported questionnaires.
Other: Carrier Oil (Sesame Oil)
Participants receive carrier oil (sesame oil) administered through inhalation and extraoral massage according to the same protocol used in the intervention group.
Experimental: Aromatherapy Group
Participants receive aromatherapy by inhalation twice daily and extraoral massage once daily throughout the study period. Outcomes are evaluated using ultrasonographic measurements and patient-reported questionnaires.
Other: Aromatherapy with Essential Oil Blend (Lavender, Marjoram, Vetiver)
Participants receive aromatherapy using a proprietary essential oil blend (Lavender Lavandula angustifolia, Marjoram Origanum majorana, and Vetiver Vetiveria zizanioides; Art De Huile®, formulated by Hülya Kayhan). The blend is administered by inhalation twice daily and extraoral massage once daily throughout the study period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Masseter Muscle Elasticity
Time Frame: Baseline to Week 4
Assessment of changes in masseter muscle elasticity using shear-wave elastography measured by ultrasonography.
Baseline to Week 4
Change in Masseter Muscle Thickness
Time Frame: Baseline to Week 4
Assessment of changes in masseter muscle thickness measured by ultrasonography.
Baseline to Week 4

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Bruxism-Related Symptoms
Time Frame: Baseline to Week 4
Assessment of changes in bruxism-related symptoms (jaw pain, headache, tooth sensitivity, fatigue, and perceived stress/anxiety) using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Each symptom is rated from 0 (no symptom) to 10 (worst imaginable symptom). Higher scores indicate more severe symptoms. A study-specific patient-reported questionnaire is also used to document the presence and characteristics of bruxism-related symptoms.
Baseline to Week 4
Patient Satisfaction With Treatment
Time Frame: Week 4
Assessment of participant satisfaction with the intervention using a study-specific patient-reported questionnaire. Treatment satisfaction is rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied). Higher scores indicate greater treatment satisfaction.
Week 4

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Necmettin Erbakan University

Collaborators

Izmir Katip Celebi University
Ankara University
Bilecik Seyh Edebali Universitesi

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

Helpful Links

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)

September 2, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 18, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 18, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 24, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 2, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 30, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2023/346

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be made publicly available due to participant privacy considerations and institutional data protection policies.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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.

Clinical Trials on Bruxism

Clinical Trials on Carrier Oil (Sesame Oil)

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Portugal

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

3
Subscribe