Relationship among Cervical Spine Degeneration, Head and Neck postures, and Myofascial Pain in Masticatory and Cervical Muscles in Elderly with Temporomandibular Disorder

Objectives: The aim of the study was to verify associations among degenerative changes in the cervical spine, head and neck postures, and myofascial pain in the craniocervical musculature in elderly with myofascial temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Methods: A total of 120 participants (mean age, 68.3 +/- 7.5 years) were included: 45 participants had no signs of orofacial or cervical pain, 26 participants had myofascial TMD only (mTMD), and 49 participants had both myofascial TMD and cervical pain (cerTMD). Participants were diagnosed according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. Cervical spine degeneration and head and neck postures were identified using the lateral cephalogram. Myofascial trigger points (TrPs) were evaluated in the temporalis, masseter, trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, sub-occipitalis, and splenius capitis muscles. Relationships among number of TrPs, head postures, and cervical degeneration were investigated using repeated-measure analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: The cerTMD showed higher number of active TrPs in the masticatory and cervical muscles, greater forward head posture, and more severe degenerative changes in the cervical spine than mTMD did. The degenerative changes in each level of the cervical spine had complex interactions with head postures. Cervical degeneration, particularly at level of second to third vertebra appeared to be linked to the development of active TrPs in the masticatory and cervical muscles. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrated that degenerative changes in the cervical spine were related to altered head postures and the development of active TrPs in the craniocervical musculature in elderly with myofascial TMD.