SYMPTOMS OF THE STOMATOGNATHIC SYSTEM IN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR AND CERVICAL-SPINE DISORDERS

This study was performed to assess the prevalance of signs and symptom s of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in patients with cervical spine disorders (CSD) and to compare patients with CSD and subgroups of pat ients with TMD with regard to the results of orthopaedic tests of the stomatognathic system. A group of 103 consecutive patients with signs and symptoms of CSD and a group of 111 consecutive patients with TMD w ere examined. All subgroups of TMD patients showed a significantly sma ller range of motion than the CSD patients. Patients with TMD had limi ted mouth opening (<40 mm) on active and passive mouth opening more of ten ; than CSD patients. TMD patients with myogenous problems reported oral habits more often than CSD patients, although no objective diffe rences between CSD and TMD patients were found. Subgroups of TMD patie nts reported joint sounds, and pain on palpation and joint play tests of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) more frequently than CSD patients . Joint sounds on active movements, pain on palpation of the TMJ, and pain on joint play tests correctly classified 82% of the patients with TMD and 72% of the patients with CSD. In spite of the biomechanical a nd anatomical relationship between the neck and the stomatognathic sys tem, the results of the study show that CSD patients have signs and sy mptoms of TMD comparable with those of the adult Dutch population. It was concluded that the function of the masticatory system should be ev aluated in patients with neck complaints in order to rule out a possib le involvement of the masticatory system.