Effectiveness of telerehabilitation-supported exercises in patients with temporomandibular disorders with probable sleep bruxism during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial

Objective This study evaluated telerehabilitation-supported exercises' effects on pain, neck disability, anxiety, oral behaviors, and sleep quality in patients with Temporomandibular Disorders associated with probable sleep bruxism (TMDs-SB). Methods During the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2021-May 2022), 40 patients aged 18-65 with TMDs-SB were randomized to a telerehabilitation (n = 20) or home exercise (n = 20) groups. Both received education and exercises; the telerehabilitation group supervised 30-minute weekly WhatsApp video sessions for eight weeks. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and eight weeks. Results Both groups improved significantly in all outcomes from baseline to eight-week follow-up (p < .05). Telerehabilitation showed greater reductions in morning jaw pain (p = .012), neck disability (p = .032), trait anxiety (p = .028), and oral behaviors (p = .001) versus home exercises. Sleep quality improved similarly in both groups (p = .154). Conclusions Telerehabilitation effectively reduced TMDs-SB symptoms, offering a promising alternative to unsupervised exercises during the pandemic. Given this unique context, conducting studies outside the pandemic's conditions would enhance generalizability and clarify telerehabilitation's potential. Further studies are needed to confirm its efficacy beyond pandemic conditions.