[Orofacial dysfunction and posttraumatic stress disorder : A context analysis of soldiers after military deployment]

In studies on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD, ICD 10: F43.1) and in clinical observation, the high proportion of soldiers with painful craniomandibular dysfunction (CMD) is conspicuous.

This study aimed to clarify if there is a connection between orofacial dysfunction, pain in this region, stress and PTSD.

A total of 36 inpatients (PTSD group) with specialist psychiatrically confirmed PTSD after up to 17 foreign deployments and 36 control subjects with 2-40 foreign deployments underwent a functional dental examination. All participants filled out a form for the gradation of chronic pain (GCP, degrees 0-4) as well as the depression, fear and stress scale (DFSS).

Soldiers with PTSD had significantly worse orofacial functional diagnoses and higher pain scores, although on average they had less combat deployments (PTSD: maximum mouth opening 31.4 ± 8.0 mm vs. 57 ± 6 mm, GCP 3.5 ± 1.0 vs. 0.5 ± 0.5).The PTSD group showed a depression score of 14.9 ± 4.2 vs. the control group 1.4 ± 2.1, a fear score of 13.7 ± 3.9 vs. 1.0 ± 1.5 and a stress score of 16.1 ± 3.4 vs. 3.3 ± 2.9.

The data from this pilot study show an obvious connection between PTSD and orofacial dysfunctions. Through further prospective studies it should be evaluated if there is a general vulnerability of those afflicted for pathological orofacial stress. This could be used for screening before combat deployment.