Behavioral Interventions for Controlling Oral Behaviors

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) interventions via mobile devices can be implemented to monitor an individual's negative health behaviors in real-time, increase awareness, and assist patients in overting those behaviors. In recent years, EMA interventions have been used to improve patients' awareness of specific oral behaviors, such as tooth clenching or awake bruxism, which can produce excessive forces on the muscles of mastication and lead to or exacerbate symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Yet, whether EMA interventions are effective in reducing oral behaviors and masticatory muscle activity in the short- and long-term, or whether they are more effective than patient education remains unclear. In this randomized clinical trial, we aim to test the effects of a 1-week EMA intervention combined with structured information on masticatory muscle activity and determine whe