Move more, hurt less? study links activity to orthodontic pain

NCT ID NCT05615688

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 ยท Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looked at whether people who are more physically active feel less pain after getting orthodontic spacers (small rubber rings placed between teeth before braces). 94 healthy volunteers aged 15-49 wore an activity monitor and reported their pain levels for a week. The goal was to see if higher daily step counts led to less pain and faster recovery.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

94 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jul 2022

Finished

Sep 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

15 to 49 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Student, resident, or staff at the University of Kentucky * Aged 15-49 at time of enrollment in the study * Erupted permanent first and second molars with interproximal contacts * Presence of antagonist teeth in the opposite arch with no open bite * Voluntary participation in study * Access to a smartphone, tablet, or computer * Valid email address Exclusion Criteria: * Any chronic pain condition (examples include trigeminal neuralgia, migraines, fibromyalgia, arthritis, neuropathies) * Current use of pain medication (analgesics, opioids, nerve pain medications) for any condition * Clinically evident interproximal decay in the site where separators will be placed * Missing teeth, variations in tooth anatomy, existing space, and or restorations that would keep separators from being placed or retained * If you do not have access to a computer, smartphone, or tablet with internet access

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Dental malocclusion are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Malocclusion

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Kentucky

    Lexington, Kentucky, 40536, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.