Preliminary communication
Electromyographic Evaluation of Masticatory Muscle Activity in Patients with Temporomandibular Dysfunction
Iva Alajbeg
Melita Valentić-Peruzović
Ivan Alajbeg
Davor Ileš
Dubravka Knezović-Zlatarić
Marina Katunarić
Abstract
The term temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) encompasses a group of disorders of the masticatory muscles and temporomandibular joints. Major precipitating factors are occlusal, traumatic, psychosocial and systemic factors. The aim of this investigation was to determine possible altered muscular function in patients with TMD, as well as to determine the need for EMG application in TMD diagnosis. Forty young adults participated in this study: 13 subjects with signs and symptoms of TMD and 27 asymptomatic subjects, sex and age matched. Surface EMG recordings were obtained from left and right anterior temporal muscle, left and right masseter muscle and from left and right digastric muscle in eight mandibular positions. Right side to left side ratio of examined muscles myoelectrical signals in lateral occlusal and maximal lateral positions for the asymptomatic group showed significantly higher activity of the working side anterior temporal muscle (p<0.05). In the group of patients with TMD, regarding the same muscle, statistically significant differences were found only in the left occlusal and left maximal lateral position (p<0.05), at which greater activity was found for the working side temporal muscle. In the same positions of the right side no significant differences in anterior temporal muscle activity were found (p>0.05). Comparison of myoelectrical signals in the position of maximal intercuspation of teeth between the patients and the controls, showed significantly higher activity in right and left masseter muscle at 50% MVC (p<0.05) in the symptomatic group.
Results of this investigation showed the presence of altered masticatory muscle activity in TMD patients and confirmed the use of electromyography in TMD diagnosis.
Keywords
temporomandibular dysfunction; electromyography masticatory muscles
Hrčak ID:
2562
URI
Publication date:
15.6.2003.
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