Objectives: To investigate the possible influence of the jaw-neck sensory-motor system on postural stability during standing. Methods: Twenty eight consecutive Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD) patients (20 females and 8 males, mean age 37, SD9), suffering for one month to nine years, and twelve healthy subjects (6 females and 6 males, mean age 27, SD5) were studied. Body sway at standing for 120 s was recorded by optoelectronic technique, alternatively with open eyes (OE) and closed eyes (CE), and without (WO) and with (W) a custom made intraoral appliance attached to upper teeth. The test protocol included eight recordings with CE and four with OE, respectively. Patients were free to terminate the recording. Results: In healthy, there were no differences between WO and W recordings, except for larger circumference of sway area for W and CE (p= 0.018). Ten WAD patients terminated the WO recordings due to pain and exhaustion, but showed increased duration in the W recordings (82% longer for CE and 43% longer for OE, p=0.01). In the WAD group, the W recordings with CE showed a decrease in speed (mean 17%, SD 21), acceleration (8%, 26), jerkiness, i.e. variability in acceleration (8%, 26) and circumference of sway area (15%, 25) (0.0003 <=p <=0.053). Correspondingly, for the W and OE recordings there was a decrease in speed (10%, 16), acceleration (5%, 10) and jerkiness (5%, 10) (0.019 <=p <=0.034). Conclusion: The finding in the WAD group of instantaneous improvement of body stability by intraoral intervention suggests significant influence of the jaw-neck sensori-motor system on postural control mechanisms. Data provide new insight into the pathophysiology behind balance disturbances and treatment approach in WAD.

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