The relationship between cervical whiplash and temporomandibular joint injuries: an MRI study

• Published in: Cranio Vol. 14; no. 3; p. 233
• Main Authors: Garcia, Jr, R, Arrington, J A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.07.1996
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Female; Humans; Joint Dislocations - etiology; Joint Dislocations - pathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Mandibular Condyle - injuries; Mandibular Condyle - pathology; Middle Aged; Temporomandibular Joint - injuries; Temporomandibular Joint - pathology; Temporomandibular Joint Disc - injuries; Temporomandibular Joint Disc - pathology; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders - etiology; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders - pathology; Whiplash Injuries - complications; Whiplash Injuries - pathology
• ISSN: 0886-9634
• DOI: 10.1080/08869634.1996.11745973

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) symptoms are a common finding in motor vehicle accident (MVA) patients with hyperextension/hyperflexion injuries of the cervical spine (cervical whiplash). The relationship between cervical whiplash and TMJ injuries was documented with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 87 consecutive MVA cervical whiplash patients who presented with TMJ symptoms and had sustained no direct trauma to the face, head or mandible and had no TMJ complaints prior to the MVA. One hundred sixty-four TMJ patients were evaluated for internal derangement, effusion and inflammation, utilizing T1 and T2 weighted images. A high percentage of the TMJ patients demonstrated abnormal findings: disk displacement with reduction (DDR), 118/164 (72%); disk displacement without reduction (DDNR), 25/164 (15%); effusion, 113/164 (69%); inflammation or edema, 84/164 (51%); total TMJ abnormalities, 156/164 (95%). The high percentage of TMJ abnormalities in this study significantly illustrates the proximate relationship between cervical whiplash and TMJ injuries.