Iatrogenic TMJ difficulty: cervical traction may be the etiology.

Patients in cervical traction for the treatment of cervical spine syndromes frequently complain that the traction makes them worse. It is possible that such patients may be suffering from TMJ symptoms. The physician treating a patient with cervical traction should consider prescribing an occlusal splint for patients without posterior teeth. The splint should be designed to distribute the stresses through the mandible to the maxillae via the teeth, splint, and TMJ.