To present a list of key points for good Temporomandibular Disorders (TMDs) clinical practice on behalf of the International Network for Orofacial Pain and Related Disorders Methodology (INfORM) group of the International Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (IADR). An open working group discussion was held at the IADR General Session in New Orleans (March 2024), where members of the INfORM group finalized the proposal of a list of 10 key points. The key points covered knowledge on the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. They represent a summary of the current standard of care for management of TMD patients. They are in line with the current need to assist general dental practitioners advance their understanding and prevent inappropriate treatment. The key points can be viewed as a guiding template for other national and international associations to prepare guidelines and recommendations on management of TMDs adapted to the different cultural, social, educational, and healthcare requirements.

Background: The recent introduction of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) smartphone-based strategies has allowed achieving some interesting data on the frequency of different awake bruxism (AB) behaviors reported by an individual in the natural environment. Objective: The present paper aims to review the literature on the reported frequency of AB based on data gathered via smartphone EMA technology. Methods: On September 2022, a systematic search in the Pubmed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases was performed to identify all peer-reviewed English-language studies assessing awake bruxism behaviors using a smartphone-based Ecological Momentary Assessment. The selected articles were assessed independently by two authors according to a structured reading of the articles’ format (PICO). Results: A literature search, for which the search terms “Awake Bruxism” and “Ecological Momentary Assessment” were used, identified 15 articles. Of them, eight fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The results of seven studies using the same smartphone-based app reported a frequency of AB behaviors in the range between 28.3 and 40% over one week, while another investigation adopted a different smartphone-based EMA approach via WhatsApp using a web-based survey program and reported an AB frequency of 58.6%. Most included studies were based on convenience samples with limited age range, highlighting the need for more studies on other population samples. Conclusions: Despite the methodological limits, the results of the reviewed studies provide a standpoint for comparison for future studies on the epidemiology of awake bruxism behaviors.

Bruxism significantly affects oral health, with consequences such as tooth wear and restoration failures. Additionally, it is linked to various risk factors and co-occurring disorders. Unlike sleep bruxism, awake bruxism (AB) is more strongly associated with psychosocial factors. This review aimed to evaluate the prevalence of AB in the general population and specific subpopulations. The review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023398868). A literature search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science until April 8, 2025 identified studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria of reporting AB prevalence in adult populations. Risk of bias was assessed with Joanna Briggs Institute Prevalence Critical Appraisal Tool and a random-effects meta-analysis determined prevalence in various subpopulations. The search yielded 8,818 records, with 5,408 abstracts screened after duplicate removal. Of these, 4,473 were excluded. Full-text assessment led to the exclusion of 843 articles that did not meet inclusion criteria. A hand search identified 5 additional studies. Ultimately, 94 studies involving 49,163 individuals were included, with 66 studies (39,823 individuals) analyzed in the meta-analysis. In the general population, self-reported "possible" AB had a mean prevalence of 25.9% (95% CI 22.2-29.9), and clinically based "probable" AB 16.0% (95% CI 10.0-24.5). Prevalence was significantly higher in specific subpopulations, such as individuals with temporomandibular disorders (50.0%, 95% CI 41.1-58.9) and systemic conditions (40.1%, 95% CI 31.4-49.5). Risk of bias was mainly related to assessment of AB. The variability between subpopulations highlights the importance of considering patient-specific factors and a targeted clinical approach in AB management.

Motor training is a widely used therapy in many pain conditions. The brain’s capacity to undergo functional and structural changes i.e., neuroplasticity is fundamental to training-induced motor improvement and can be assessed by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The aim was to investigate the impact of pain on training-induced motor performance and neuroplasticity assessed by TMS. The review was carried out in accordance with the PRISMA-guidelines and a Prospero protocol (CRD42020168487). An electronic search in PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane until December 13, 2019, identified studies focused on training-induced neuroplasticity in the presence of experimentally-induced pain, 'acute pain' or in a chronic pain condition, 'chronic pain'. Included studies were assessed by two authors for methodological quality using the TMS Quality checklist, and for risk of bias using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. The literature search identified 231 studies. After removal of 71 duplicates, 160 abstracts were screened, and 24 articles were reviewed in full text. Of these, 17 studies on acute pain (n = 7) or chronic pain (n = 10), including a total of 258 patients with different pain conditions and 248 healthy participants met the inclusion criteria. The most common types of motor training were different finger tasks (n = 6). Motor training was associated with motor cortex functional neuroplasticity and six of seven acute pain studies and five of ten chronic pain studies showed that, compared to controls, pain can impede such trainings-induced neuroplasticity. These findings may have implications for motor learning and performance and with putative impact on rehabilitative procedures such as physiotherapy.

Background: Together with psychosocial and hereditary factors, bruxism is a possible risk factor for orofacial pain. Bruxism is defined as a masticatory muscle activity characterized by repetitive or sustained tooth contact, or by bracing or thrusting of the mandible. A smartphone application to report awake bruxism (AB) has been developed and translated into more than 25 languages.Objective(s): To translate the application into Swedish, adapt it to Swedish culture and conduct a study to evaluate the usability of the application for studies on family history and associated risk factors.Methods: Translation and cultural adaption of the Swedish version of the application (BruxApp) was carried out in a four‐step sequential process. Ten young adults (22–30 years) were recruited together with ten parents (42–67 years) and reported their AB with the application over two seven‐day periods. Pain, stress and parafunctional behaviours were assessed by questionnaires.Results: The back translation check showed minimal discrepancies between the translation and the English version. Participants did not report any problems with the application. Response rates for both groups were 65%. A difference in frequency of AB was shown between young adults and parents (22.0% vs. 12.5%, p < .001). A positive moderate correlation was found between AB and stress (r = 0.54, p = .017).Conclusion: The use of application strategies enables data collection on AB which can be used in both clinical and research settings. The results suggest that the Swedish version is ready for implementation and for studies on the relationships between AB, family history and psychosocial factors.

While muscle overload is commonly implicated in musculoskeletal pain conditions, real-time assessment of associated behavioural and physiological features is challenging. This study aims to investigate the relationship between self-reported awake bruxism using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) and jaw muscle activity registered by surface electromyography (sEMG), and differences between individuals with and without temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain. Seventy participants (38 women, 32 men), of which 31% reported pain, completed 3-day EMA using a smartphone application combined with a sEMG device only for day 1. Overload, defined as muscle activity exceeding 20% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), was evaluated for duration and area under curve (AUC). A strong correlation was observed between EMA-reported bruxism and sEMG overload duration (ρ = 0.62, p < 0.001). AUC showed a correlation with EMA only in the TMD group. Participants with TMD pain exhibited shorter high-intensity bursts (60–79% MVC, p ≤ 0.005) but prolonged low-intensity muscle activity (20–39% MVC, p < 0.001). Bruxism behaviour and stress levels were higher in women and in individuals with pain. The results suggest that combining EMA and sEMG provides valid assessment of musculoskeletal overload, capturing both perceptual and physiological dimensions. Incorporating EMA in pain management can identify pain-related risk behaviours, thus supporting tailored patient-centred interventions.