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A common symptom for TMD sufferers is moderate to severe neck pain with considerable stiffness, which typically complicates (or initiates) cervical disc problems.

While it is apparent how nocturnal parafunction of the trigeminally mediated structures (centered and excursive jaw clenching) can cause disorders of the temporomandibular system, neck involvement may appear to be less directly related.

However, when the full scope of muscular activity during chewing (and clenching) is appreciated, cervical involvement in TM disorders also becomes apparent.

In this thesis from a Swedish dental school , Haggman states:  "...even with head fixation, activity in neck muscles was seen during jaw opening, and this was a general finding for the maximal jaw opening tasks..."

In the animation below,  the arrow at the base of the skull represents the neck muscles (referenced above) during chewing.

As a muscle contracts, it is either moving a bone, or stabilizing a structure.  Although in the graphic (above), the mandible is moving while the maxilla/skull remains still, the relative relationship of the mandible to the maxilla/skull is a matter of perspective.  In the graphic below, the degree of separation between arches is identicle to the above graphic.

By stabilizing the mandible rather than the maxilla/skull, activity of the neck musculature can be appreciated during the opening phase of mastication.

Similarly, during the attempted (re)opening of the mandible during clenching activity (above), the neck muscles are contracting isometrically, thereby allowing for the cervical involvement and/or complications typically seen in TMD sufferers.