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OP 135
aBSTracTS OP 13
Title
15-yEAR FOLLOW-uP OF TMJ SyMPTOMS AND MR IMAGING FINDINGS IN WHIPLASH
PATIENTS
Authors
H. SALÉ 1 , F. bRyNDAHL 2 , A. ISbERG 2
Affiliations
1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Malmö University, Malmö, SWEDEN, 2 Department
of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Umeå University, Umeå, SWEDEN
Body
Objectives
To determine the incidence, prevalence and progression of temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
pathology, verified by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and symptoms in patients compared
with matched control subjects during 15 years following whiplash trauma.
Methods
We examined 60 consecutive patients with neck symptoms directly after whiplash trauma.
Bilateral TMJ MR imaging was performed at inception and follow-up 15 years later. The study
protocol included a self-administered questionnaire and interview at inception, at one-year
and 15-year follow-up. Fifty-seven patients (95%) participated in all three examinations (85%
for MR imaging). Concurrently, 50 matched control subjects followed the same protocol.
Results
The prevalence of TMJ symptoms increased significantly with whiplash trauma with the increase
remaining stable throughout the 15-year study period, which contrasted with the natural
course in control subjects. After one year the difference in prevalence between patients and
control subjects was 54% vs. 20% (p=0.0002) and after 15 years 49% vs. 18% (p=0.0017).
Neither incidence nor progression of TMJ pathology differed between groups over the 15-year
period. Prevalence of disc displacement did not differ significantly between groups either at
inception (63% vs. 53%) or 15-year follow-up (63% vs. 55%).
Conclusions
This prospective 15-year follow-up suggests that one of three patients exposed to whiplash
trauma can be expected to develop TMJ symptoms beyond that which corresponds to the
natural course revealed in control subjects. This finding and previously reported impairment of
jaw function after whiplash trauma points to a need for including TMJs and related muscles in
medical routine examination of patients with symptoms following whiplash trauma.
Keywords
Temporomandibular joint, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Whiplash Injuries
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