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Comorbidity of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint and silent dysfunction of the cervical spine
Author(s) -
StieschScholz M.,
Fink M.,
Tschernitschek H.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of oral rehabilitation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2842
pISSN - 0305-182X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2842.2003.01034.x
Subject(s) - medicine , palpation , temporomandibular joint , derangement , tenderness , physical examination , cervical spine , range of motion , orthodontics , surgery , mathematics , combinatorics
summary The aim of this evaluation was to examine correlations between internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and cervical spine disorder (CSD). A prospective controlled clinical study was carried out. Thirty patients with signs and symptoms of internal derangement but without any subjective neck problems and 30 age‐ and gender‐matched control subjects without signs and symptoms of internal derangement were examined. The investigation of the temporomandibular system was carried out using a ‘Craniomandibular Index’. Afterwards an examiner‐blinded manual medical investigation of the craniocervical system was performed. This included muscle palpation of the cervical spine and shoulder girdle as well as passive movement tests of the cervical spine, to detect restrictions in the range of movement as well as segmental intervertebral dysfunction. The internal derangement of the TMJ was significantly associated with ‘silent’ CSD ( t ‐test, P < 0ḃ05). Patients with raised muscle tenderness of the temporomandibular system exhibited significantly more often pain on pressure of the neck muscles than patients without muscle tenderness of the temporomandibular system ( t ‐test, P < 0ḃ05). As a result of the present study, for patients with internal derangement of the TMJ an additional examination of the craniocervical system should be recommended.