Temporomandibular disorder in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy: Clinical findings and patient‐reported symptoms

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate how common temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms are among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients before and after oncological treatment. METHODS: Eighty-nine patients with HNC receiving radiotherapy were enrolled in the study. Patients were examined before radiotherapy and at 6 and 12 months after radiotherapy to evaluate the function and tenderness of the temporomandibular jaw and the muscles of mastication as well as the patient-reported symptoms. RESULTS: At 6 months after radiotherapy, there was a large increase in the number of patients reporting problems with opening their mouth, fatigue, stiffness, and pain of the jaw. Sixty-eight percent of the patients had symptoms of TMD before oncological treatment and 94% and 81% had symptoms at the 6- and 12-month follow-up, respectively. CONCLUSION: The signs and symptoms of TMD escalate after radiotherapy, with symptoms peaking at 6 months after radiotherapy. Most commonly, patients suffer from restricted mouth opening, stiffness, fatigue, and pain of the jaw.