Effects of Hard Gum Chewing on Facial Soft Tissue Morphology
ConditionFace
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age20-40
SponsorUConn Health
About this trial
This pilot clinical trial will evaluate whether intentional chewing of a standardized hard chewing gum for 4 weeks produces measurable changes in facial morphology in healthy adults. Twenty participants aged 20-40 years will undergo three-dimensional facial imaging (3dMD) at baseline (T0), after the 4-week chewing intervention (T1), and following a 4-5-week washout period (T2). Changes in facial soft-tissue morphology will be assessed using three-dimensional surface analysis, including heatmaps, regional surface displacement, and morphometric measurements. Secondary outcomes include self-reported muscle fatigue, soreness, adherence, and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Healthy, non-smoking adults.
Age 20 to 40 years.
Presence of a full dentition from central incisor to first molar in all four quadrants, excluding second molars.
Stable occlusion with no ongoing orthodontic treatment or myofunctional therapy.
Disqualifiers
Age younger than 20 years or older than 40 years.
Evident facial asymmetry from a frontal view.
Signs or symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) according to the Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD).
Less than the normal range of condylar motion during maximum opening and closing.
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Hard Gum Chewing
Treatment groups
20 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupSponsors and collaborators
UConn Health
Lead sponsor
Charles Burstone Foundation
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov