The IACA 2014 Dental Conference, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Today:
This Morning I listened to great lecture by Dr. David Miller about how low velocity impact car accidents can cause TMJ pain from whiplash injuries. Jaw pain can occur even if the car did not suffer any damage . The newer cars are now made with very stiff frames so as not to deform in these types of collisions. Remember when cars would be totaled in minor accidents? Well carmakers changed the design so that the bumpers would deform but the car body would not. The stiffness of the frame now transmits the force through the car creating tremendous forces that cause whiplash injuries. ” Cars that do not sustain damage can produce higher dynamic loading on their occupants than those which plastically deform”. One in three people exposed to a whiplash injury have delayed TMJ symptoms. These can take up to six weeks to show up. The good news is we can treat many of these symptoms with neuromuscular dentistry.