Activity of temporal and masseter muscles in children with a lateral forced bite

The activity of the temporal and masseter muscles with the mandible in postural position and during chewing, maximal bite in the intercuspal position, and swallowing were recorded electromyographically in nineteen children with laterally forced bite. Of the children, aged 8-12 years, sixteen had unilateral crossbite. In all of the individuals there was lateral deviation between the retruded contact position and the intercuspal position. The magnitude of the lateral deviation was measured with a modified gnathothesiometer. The muscle activity was recorded bilaterally from the temporal muscle and from the masseter muscle. In the postural position asymmetric activity was found in the temporal muscle suggesting that the mandible in postural position was still displaced to the side of forced bite. During chewing the activity was asymmetric both in the anterior and the posterior temporal portions. This asymmetric muscle activity was interpreted as an adaptation to avoid cuspal interferences. Also in maximal bite the muscle activity was asymmetric, while the activity during swallowing was affected less than in the other functions. The swallowing activity was, however, less in children with a forced bite than in children with normal occlusion.