Interaktion von HWS mit Kau- und Kieferapparat

Both the cervical spine and the masticatory organs and jaws can cause local and generalised symptoms. Depending on the patient’s age, there is a close interaction between the two regions. While during early development the influence of the cervical spine in pathology of cervicomandibular function is greater, in the course of adolescence the significance of the jaw and the teeth increases more and more. In adulthood, finally, the pathomorphological impairment potential of the jaw region is dominant. Differentiation between the acute findings (e.g. between cervical spine and jaw region as the main problem area) is offset by analysis of the time axis (what type of patient do we have before us?). If the KiSS (Kopfgelenkinduzierte Symmetrie-Störung [impairment of symmetry attributable to the atlanto-axial and atlanto-occipital joints]) symptom complex offers a diagnostic/anamnestic concept for assessment of the ontogenetic relevance of vertebrogenic problems and can make it easier to decide on where the emphasis of treatment should be. Functional irritations that have originated in the cervical spine can thus be recognised earlier, and in children it can be possible to avoid malformations in the orofacial region. This approach also allows better understanding of the complex interaction between manual medicine and dentistry.