[Quantitative topographic characterization of the myoelectric activity distribution of the masseter muscle: mapping...

A new method for quantitative characterization of myoelectrical masseter activity distribution by mapping of spectral EMG-parameters is described. The surface electromyograms of M. masseter were monopolarly recorded (16 channels). On the basis of registered EMG intervals (512 ms) the spectral EMG power of several frequency bands was calculated (Fast Fourier Transformation). The spectral EMG parameters between the 16 electrode positions were estimated by linear interpolation (4-nearest neighbours algorithm). Afterwards the spectral EMG parameters were fitted in a grey-tone or colour scale with 10 intervals. The so obtained EMG activity maps ("EMG-Maps") permit a quantitative-topographic characterization of myoelectrical masseter activity during different functional load procedures. The frequency range which is to consider in masseter surface-EMG investigations encloses frequencies between 15 and 500 Hz. The topography of EMG activation pattern of M. masseter is only described in a comprehensive manner when the electrode array consists of 16 electrodes and more. During defined motor tasks like clenching with controlled forces the reproducibility of EMG-Maps which respect to the topography of EMG activity pattern is very high. The absolute values of spectral EMG power as well as power changes of selected band ranges during clenching correlate to the extent of chewing forces.