A patient has jaw opening of 20 mm and pain with chewing. What impairment is present?

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Multiple Choice

A patient has jaw opening of 20 mm and pain with chewing. What impairment is present?

Explanation:
The main idea here is that jaw mobility is reduced. Normal maximal mouth opening in adults is roughly 40–50 mm. A 20 mm opening is well below that, signaling hypomobility of the jaw. The added fact of pain with chewing shows this limited movement is functionally impairing mastication, not just a normal variation. Hypermobility would involve opening well above normal ranges and isn’t indicated here, and crepitus refers to joint sounds that don’t by themselves define the level of opening. So the impairment present is jaw hypomobility.

The main idea here is that jaw mobility is reduced. Normal maximal mouth opening in adults is roughly 40–50 mm. A 20 mm opening is well below that, signaling hypomobility of the jaw. The added fact of pain with chewing shows this limited movement is functionally impairing mastication, not just a normal variation. Hypermobility would involve opening well above normal ranges and isn’t indicated here, and crepitus refers to joint sounds that don’t by themselves define the level of opening. So the impairment present is jaw hypomobility.

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