Masseteric silent period and reflex before and after dentomaxillofacial surgery

The aim of this study was to evaluate massetteric silent period and reflex in patients affected by progenia, before and after maxillofacial surgery, in order to determine their clinical utility. The electrophysiological changes generated by malocclusion secondary to prognatism have been evaluated before and after maxillofacial corrective surgery in 14 patients aged between 18 and 36 years. The masseteric reflex and the silent period (SP) of the masseteric muscles elicited by stimulation of the mental nerve were recorded. A correspondence between the neurophysiological and clinical findings was present in 12 of 14 patients, in particular concerning the latency of SP2. This study demonstrates that the masseteric silent period may be used as a diagnostic and prognostic support, before and after surgery for malocclusion.