Validation and Evaluation of the Mastication Function in Adults: The Functional Six-minute Mastication Test (F-6MMT).

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Functional 6-minute mastication test: All participants will be evaluated in 3 different phases. First, they will respond to the online TMD screener questionnaire. Then, they will be presentally evaluated using the DC/TMD and finally they will undergo the functional 6-minute mastication test.

Study summary

Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) encompass various conditions that affect the temporomandibular joint and associated tissues, often causing or being associated with other symptoms such as jaw pain, myofascial pain, neck pain, and headaches. TMDs are classified according to the DC/TMD instrument in which the joint and pain axes are evaluated. However, there is no evaluation of mandibular function, and TMDs can result in a decrease in jaw strength and resistance. This leads to an increase in the chewing fatigue. Reliable and time-effective diagnostic methods for evaluating masticatory function are crucial in the clinical setting because of the high prevalence of TMD. Chewing efficiency is essential for food preparation and nutrient absorption, and muscle fatigue is a common problem affecting chewing ability. Despite this, there is a lack of validated tests to evaluate chewing fatigue in patients with TMD, which makes its consideration unnoticed in clinical practice.

The modified six-minute functional chewing test (F-6MMT) was proposed as a tool to evaluate chewing ability and fatigue in patients with TMD. This test is an adaptation of a previously designed test in which subjects with mitochondrial pathology were evaluated; however, the subjects were not instructed to perform functional chewing during the test. In this version, modifications are added so that the test is as functional as possible, allowing chewing to be evaluated in a standardized way, and cut-off points established between healthy subjects and subjects with TMD in terms of chewing capacity in general and fatigue in particular. This study will follow standardized reporting guidelines and recruit participants from diverse clinical settings.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Fatigue — Immediately before the procedure, immediately after the procedure, and five minutes after the procedure
  Score fatigue on a Numerical Rating Scale (0-10). 0 means no fatigue and 10 the highest fatigue possible.
• Self-reported Pain — Immediately before the procedure, immediately after the procedure, and five minutes after the procedure
  Score pain on a Numerical Rating Scale (0-10). 0 means no pain and 10 the highest pain possible
• Sensitivity and Specificity — through study completion, an average of 1 year
  Ability to identificate cases vs controls
• Feasibity — through study completion, an average of 1 year
  Intra and inter examinator feasibility
• Replicability — Through study completion, an average of 1 year
  Consistency and precision of the test

Trial sites (3)

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