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Bite force and electromyograpy during maximum unilateral and bilateral clenching.
Andries van der Bilt1, Anneke Tekamp, Hilbert van der Glas
1Department of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontics and Special Dental Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, AB Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.vanderbilt@umcutrecht.nl
European Journal of Oral Sciences
|May 13, 2008
Summary
Maximum voluntary bite force is lower during unilateral clenching compared to bilateral clenching. Jaw muscle activity also differs between these methods, affecting temporal and masseter muscles uniquely.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Physiology
- Dental Science
Background:
- Maximum voluntary bite force is a key indicator of masticatory system function.
- Both bilateral and unilateral methods are used to measure bite force, but few studies compare them.
- Understanding differences is crucial for accurate assessment of jaw function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare bite force and jaw muscle activity during bilateral versus unilateral maximum clenching.
- To investigate differences in masseter and anterior temporal muscle responses.
- To provide data from a large cohort of healthy subjects.
Main Methods:
- 81 dentate subjects participated in the study.
- Bite force was measured using both bilateral and unilateral clenching methods.
- Electromyography recorded masseter and anterior temporal muscle activity.
Main Results:
- Average bilateral bite force was 569 N.
- Average unilateral bite force was significantly lower (430 N right, 429 N left).
- Muscle activity was lower during unilateral clenching; temporal muscles showed side-specific differences, unlike masseter muscles.
Conclusions:
- Unilateral clenching yields lower bite force and different muscle activation patterns than bilateral clenching.
- Temporal muscles exhibit distinct ipsilateral and contralateral activity during unilateral clenching.
- These findings highlight method-dependent variations in assessing masticatory function.
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