Causes Of Trismus

Oral Surgery

Oral surgery remains one of the primary causes of trismus and might occur after any kind of oral surgery. A dental patient sometimes has sore, cramping jaws after wisdom teeth extractions. This surgery and the fact the mouth needs to remain wide open for a long time irritates the temporomandibular joint. Once hurt, inflammation of the joint occurs due to the surgery itself or due to the mouth being hyperextended. An injection of anesthetic into and around the temporomandibular joint also may cause damage to the muscles around that joint. An individual with trismus after surgery can take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication or use hot and cold packs to reduce swelling and relieve muscle tightness.

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Head And Throat Cancer Radiation

The Oral Cancer Foundation states between ten and forty percent of patients who receive head and throat cancer radiation therapy experience trismus during their treatment. Trismus happens most frequently in individuals who receive radiation therapy for cancer of the jaw. This specific treatment causes damage and scar tissue around the jaw joint, making it more susceptible to pain in the jaw. During radiation, the muscles in the temporomandibular joint, masseter muscles, and pterygoid muscles become affected. All three of these muscles are required to chew comfortably and thoroughly chew food. Radiation of the jaw causes fibrosis of the chewing muscles, which is somewhat like having scar tissue in this area. This tissue causes problems with the way the mouth opens and also causes trismus.

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