TITLE:
Rapid Improvement of Limited Mouth Opening and Temporomandibular Joint Pain Associated with Anterior Mandibular Displacement Following Manual Therapy and Occlusal Adjustment: A Case Report
AUTHORS:
Yoshiro Fujii
KEYWORDS:
Mandibular Displacement, Manual Therapy, Musculoskeletal Alignment, Occlusal Adjustment, Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.15 No.6,
June
25,
2026
ABSTRACT: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are multifactorial conditions influenced not only by local craniofacial structures but also by cervical, pelvic, and global musculoskeletal alignment. Anterior mandibular displacement can severely restrict mouth opening and hinder accurate occlusal evaluation. This case report describes a woman with acute limitation of mouth opening and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain who experienced rapid improvement following manual therapy targeting trunk alignment, followed by selective occlusal adjustment. Maximum mouth opening increased from 25 mm to 55 mm, and pain decreased from a visual analogue scale (VAS) score of 7/10 to 1/10. These improvements were achieved within approximately 25 minutes and were maintained for more than six months. This case highlights the potential importance of addressing whole-body musculoskeletal strain in selected TMD patients and suggests that trunk alignment may influence mandibular position and function.