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Objective: To evaluate neck pain, disability, and deep neck flexor (DNF) performance of individuals with temporomandibular disorders (TMD)., Methods: Eighty individuals were divided into the following: arthrogenic TMD (n = 40), myogenic TMD (n = 12), and mixed TMD (n = 28). Neck pain intensity, neck disability, and DNF performance were evaluated., Results: Individuals with arthrogenic TMD reported lower intensity of neck pain when compared to mixed TMD ( p = 0.01). Individuals with arthrogenic TMD had less neck disability than individuals with myogenic TMD ( p = 0.037) and mixed TMD ( p < 0.001). A moderate positive correlation was found between neck pain and neck disability ( p < 0.001). No differences were found for DNF performance., Conclusion: Neck pain and disability differs according to subtype of TMD, but performance of the deep neck flexors does not. Neck pain intensity and neck disability were correlated in patients with TMD.

Purpose: Tender points in the neck are common in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). However, the correlation among neck disability, jaw dysfunction, and muscle tenderness in subjects with TMD still needs further investigation. This study investigated the correlation among neck disability, jaw dysfunction, and muscle tenderness in subjects with and without chronic TMD. Participants. Forty females between 19 and 49 years old were included in this study. There were 20 healthy controls and 20 subjects who had chronic TMD and neck disability., Methods: Subjects completed the neck disability index and the limitations of daily functions in TMD questionnaires. Tenderness of the masticatory and cervical muscles was measured using an algometer., Results: The correlation between jaw disability and neck disability was significantly high (r = 0.915, P < 0.05). The correlation between level of muscle tenderness in the masticatory and cervical muscles with jaw dysfunction and neck disability showed fair to moderate correlations (r = 0.32-0.65)., Conclusion: High levels of muscle tenderness in upper trapezius and temporalis muscles correlated with high levels of jaw and neck dysfunction. Moreover, high levels of neck disability correlated with high levels of jaw disability. These findings emphasize the importance of considering the neck and its structures when evaluating and treating patients with TMD.

Aims: To compare the masticatory and cervical muscle tenderness and pain sensitivity in the hand (remote region) between patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and healthy controls., Methods: Twenty female subjects were diagnosed with chronic TMD, and 20 were considered healthy. Subjects completed the Neck Disability Index and Limitations of Daily Functions in a TMD questionnaire. Tenderness of the masticatory and cervical muscles and pain sensitivity in the hand were measured using an algometer. Three-way mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) evaluated differences in muscle tenderness between groups. One-way ANOVA compared pain sensitivity in the hand between groups. Effect sizes were assessed using Cohen guidelines., Results: Significantly increased masticatory and cervical muscle tenderness and pain sensitivity in the hand were found in subjects with TMD when compared with healthy subjects. Moderate to high effect sizes showed the clinical relevance of the findings., Conclusion: The results of this study have highlighted the importance of assessing TMD patients not only in the craniofacial region but also in the neck and other parts of the body. Future studies should focus on testing the effectiveness of treatments addressing the neck and the pain sensitivity in the hand in patients with TMD.

Background: Most patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) have been shown to have cervical spine dysfunction. However, this cervical dysfunction has been evaluated only qualitatively through a general clinical examination of the cervical spine., Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients with TMD had increased activity of the superficial cervical muscles when performing the craniocervical flexion test (CCFT) compared with a control group of individuals who were healthy., Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted., Methods: One hundred fifty individuals participated in this study: 47 were healthy, 54 had myogenous TMD, and 49 had mixed TMD. All participants performed the CCFT. Data for electromyographic activity of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and anterior scalene (AS) muscles were collected during the CCFT for all participants. A 3-way mixed-design analysis of variance for repeated measures was used to evaluate the differences in EMG activity for selected muscles while performing the CCFT under 5 incremental levels. Effect size values were calculated to evaluate the clinical relevance of the results., Results: Although there were no statistically significant differences in electromyographic activity in the SCM or AS muscles during the CCFT in patients with mixed and myogenous TMD compared with the control group, those with TMD tended to have increased activity of the superficial cervical muscles., Limitations: The results obtained in this research are applicable for the group of individuals who participated in this study under the protocols used. They could potentially be applied to people with TMD having characteristics similar to those of the participants of this study., Conclusion: This information may give clinicians insight into the importance of evaluation and possible treatment of the deep neck flexors in patients with TMD. However, future research should test the effectiveness of this type of program through a randomized controlled trial in people with TMD in order to determine the real value of treating this type of impairment in this population.