[Effect of bite plane on electromyographic activity of masticatory muscles. 1. Muscle activity during tapping...

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of the insertion of bite plane on masticatory muscle activity during tapping movement, and find out useful parameters for examination and diagnosis of stomatognathic dysfunction. The subjects in this study were twenty normal subjects with intact dentition and no signs of mandibular dysfunction as the control group, and twelve subjects with unilateral temporomandibular joint pain during jaw opening or closing movement as the patient group. Electromyographic activity in the bilateral anterior temporal and masseter muscles and mandibular movement using the Mandibular Kinesiograph were recorded simultaneously during tapping movement. The usefulness of the 61 items used in this study was evaluated. The results were summarized as follows: 1. In the patient group, a significant correlation between the jaw opening degree during tapping movement and the maximal jaw opening one without pain was recognized. 2. The total muscle activity in the patient group decreased significantly by the insertion of the bite plane. 3. Many subjects of the patient group showed a significant difference between the right and left activity of each muscle. 4. A significant difference between the two groups was found in the duration of muscle activity before and after Silent period, those coefficients of variation and the difference between those durations of the right and left muscle activity. This study suggests that the above factors are very useful parameters for examination and diagnosis of temporomandibular joint dysfunction.