trismus
Sign in to saveAlso known as grinding trismus, lock jaw, Grinding trismus, lock jaw
Trismus is a condition of restricted opening of the mouth. The term was initially used in the setting of tetanus. Trismus may be caused by spasm of the muscles of mastication or a variety of other causes. Temporary trismus occurs much more frequently than permanent trismus. It is known to interfere with eating, speaking, and maintaining proper oral hygiene. This interference, specifically with an inability to swallow properly, results in an increased risk of aspiration. In some instances, trismus presents with altered facial appearance. The condition may be distressing and painful. Examination
Key facts
- Medical condition (new).name
- Trismus
- Medical condition (new).synonyms
- Lockjaw
- Medical condition (new).image
- lockjawsymptoms.jpg
- Medical condition (new).caption
- Trismus caused due to muscle rigidity. Diagram of jaw muscles are shown here.
via Wikipedia infobox
Research
4,268 papers- Trismus therapy devices: A systematic review.Oral oncology · 2022
- Management of trismus after radiation therapy.Current opinion in otolaryngology & head and neck surgery · 2025
- Trismus and oral health conditions during diagnosis of malignant oral neoplasms.Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology · 2020
- Trismus in the paediatric population.Developmental medicine and child neurology · 2015
- Definitive radiotherapy and trismus in HNC patients: A critical review.Critical reviews in oncology/hematology · 2024
via PubMed
~10 min read
Encyclopedic overview
23 sectionsContents
- Definition
- Differential diagnosis
- Joint problems
- Ankylosis
- Arthritis synovitis
- Meniscus pathology
- Extra-articular causes
- Infection
- Dental treatment
- Trauma
- TMJ disorders
- Tumors and oral care
- Drug therapy
- Radiotherapy and chemotherapy
- Congenital and developmental causes
- Miscellaneous disorders
- Common causes
- Other causes
- Diagnostic approach
- Treatment
- History
- References
- External links
Trismus is a condition of restricted opening of the mouth. The term was initially used in the setting of tetanus. Trismus may be caused by spasm of the muscles of mastication or a variety of other causes. Temporary trismus occurs much more frequently than permanent trismus. It is known to interfere with eating, speaking, and maintaining proper oral hygiene. This interference, specifically with an inability to swallow properly, results in an increased risk of aspiration. In some instances, trismus presents with altered facial appearance. The condition may be distressing and painful. Examination and treatments requiring access to the oral cavity can be limited, or in some cases impossible, due to the nature of the condition itself.
==Definition== Trismus is defined as painful restriction in opening the mouth due to a muscle spasm, however it can also refer to limited mouth opening of any cause. Another definition of trismus is simply a limitation of movement. Historically and commonly, the term lockjaw was sometimes used as a synonym for both trismus and tetanus.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “trismus” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.