TY - JOUR PY - 2017// TI - Effects on jaw function shortly after whiplash trauma JO - Journal of oral rehabilitation A1 - Lampa, Ewa A1 - Wänman, Anders A1 - Nordh, Erik A1 - Häggman-Henrikson, Birgitta SP - 941 EP - 947 VL - 44 IS - 12 N2 - Normal jaw function involves muscles and joints of both jaw and neck. A whiplash trauma may disturb the integrated jaw-neck sensory-motor function and thereby impair chewing ability, however, it is not known if such impairment is present shortly after a neck trauma or develops over time. The aim was to evaluate jaw function after a recent whiplash trauma. Eighty cases (47 women) were examined within one month after a whiplash trauma and compared to 80 controls (47 women) without neck trauma. Participants completed the Jaw disability checklist (JDC) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) questionnaires and performed a 5-minute chewing test. Elicited fatigue and pain during chewing was noted and group differences were evaluated with Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U-test. Compared to controls, cases had higher JDC (P<0.0001) and NDI scores (15% vs. 2%, P<0.0001), and reported more fatigue (53% vs 31%, P=0.006) and pain (30% vs 10%, P=0.003) during the chewing test. Cases also had a shorter onset time for fatigue and pain (both P=0.001) Furthermore, cases reporting symptoms during chewing had higher JDC and NDI scores compared to cases not reporting symptoms (both P=0.01). Symptoms mainly occurred in the trigeminal area for both groups, but also in spinal areas more often for cases than for controls. Taken together, the results indicate that jaw-neck sensory-motor function is impaired already within one month after a whiplash trauma. The association between neck disability and jaw impairment underlines the close functional relationship between the regions, and stresses the importance of multidisciplinary assessment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0305-182X UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/joor.12571 ID - ref1 ER -