Effect of therapeutic jaw exercise on temporomandibular disorders in individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorders

Abstract

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a specific therapeutic jaw exercise on the temporomandibular disorders of patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders. Material and methods. Ninety-four consecutive patients with whiplash-related conditions were referred to and accepted for a treatment period at a center for functional evaluation and rehabilitation during 2001–2002. The patients followed a program of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and pain management. At the start of their stay, they were examined by a physician specialized in rehabilitation medicine and also by a dentist who performed a functional examination of the stomatognathic system. Of the 93 patients who accepted participation in the study, 55 were diagnosed with temporomandibular disorders and chronic whiplash-associated disorders in accordance with the inclusion criteria. They were randomized into a jaw exercise group (n=25), who performed specific therapeutic jaw exercises, and a control group (n=30). Both groups undertook the whiplash rehabilitation program at the center. Results. There were no inter- or intra-group differences in symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders at baseline, nor at the 3-week and 6-month follow-ups, except for an increase of maximum active mouth-opening capacity in the control group. Conclusions. In conclusion, the therapeutic jaw exercises, in addition to the regular whiplash rehabilitation program, did not reduce symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders.