Jaw Muscle Pain Post Wisdom Molar Surgery

The proposed design is a triple-blind, placebo-controlled randomized prospective phase II trial to assess the feasibility of employing the Temporo-masseteric Nerve Block (TMNB) injection to decrease jaw muscle pain, overall pain, improve mouth opening and minimize pain medication consumption. 80 participants undergoing lower third molar removal under sedation will be enrolled. Those who develop significant jaw muscle pain on the following day will be randomized to receive either the TMNB injection or a placebo. Daily ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) will be collected reflecting elements of patient experience for all participants. On Day 8, participants return for an end-of-study evaluation and return their unused pain medications. Up to 40 participants who are randomized to receive TMNB/placebo will be recruited to participate in a qualitative interview regarding their experience.

NCT Number	NCT07094542
Lead Sponsor	Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Collaborators: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Conditions	Post Operative Pain, Impacted Third Molar Tooth, Muscle Pain
Enrollment	80 participants
Start Date	2026-09
Primary Completion	2029-11 (estimated)
Study Completion	2030-05 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-06-18