Moana is a 25 year old who presents with 1 day of Trismus secondary to intermittent mild TMJ dysfunction with clicking. She is able to talk and close her mouth but not to open fully.

Management of TMJ Dysfunction

From Rosens 5 minute Emergency Consult

• Reasurance
• Analgesia
• Heat
• Rest
• Physical therapy
• Pain site injections with
• Reduction if dislocated

Physical therapy for TMJ-related Trismus

• Sustained stretching with tongue depressors, with or without heat related modalitie
• Manual soft tissue mobilization to the involved muscles, as well as teaching the patient self-massage, particularly to the medial pterygoid
• Teaching the Finger Spread technique for home stretching
• If capsular tightness develops, graded and gentle joint mobilizations

Reduction of Dislocation Technique

• Protect thumbs with gauze or tongue depressors
• Thumbs on intraoral surface of mandible
• Fingers wrap around jaw
• Firm downward pressure – guide jaw caudally then posterior