What is muscle trismus?
Trismus, also known as lockjaw, is caused by trauma or injury to the mastication (chewing) muscles. You need your mastication muscles for chewing your food and opening your mouth. Without it, it would be hard to talk, eat, brush your teeth, or swallow.
What is the other name for Trismus?
Trismus, commonly called lockjaw, is reduced opening of the jaws (limited jaw range of motion). It may be caused by spasm of the muscles of mastication or a variety of other causes.
What causes trismus of the jaw?
Trismus occurs when a person is unable to open their mouth more than 35 millimeters (mm) . It can occur as a result of trauma to the jaw, oral surgery, infection, cancer, or radiation treatment for cancers of the head and throat.
How do you assess Trismus?
A simple diagnostic test is the ‘three finger test’. Ask the patient to insert three of their fingers into the mouth. If all three fingers can fit between the incisors, mouth opening is considered normal but if less than three can be inserted, trismus is likely.
How do you treat trismus?
Treatment options
- Use of a jaw-stretching device. These devices fit between the upper and lower jaw.
- Medication.
- Physical therapy that involves massaging and jaw stretching.
- A change to a predominately soft-food diet until symptoms improve.
Is Trismus an emergency?
However, when tetanus is the cause, immediate medical attention is needed. Lockjaw is a symptom that occurs after the infection has been in the body for some time and its onset may indicate a medical emergency. An inability to open your mouth may also be a dental emergency.
What does the word trismus mean?
1 : involuntary contraction of the muscles of mastication (as in tetanus or Parkinson’s disease) 2 : lockjaw.
Is Trismus the same as TMJ?
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) On each side of your jaw there’s a temporomandibular joint. This joint acts as a sliding hinge, connecting your jaw to your skull and allowing you to open and shut your mouth. When there’s dysfunction in the joint, it can cause trismus and pain.
Is trismus an emergency?
Who treats trismus?
Trismus (or lock jaw) is a condition in which someone has severely restricted mouth opening. It is a problem commonly encountered by dental practitioners, and responds well in the hands of a trained physical therapist.