[Influence of tooth contacts on masseter and temporal muscle activity. 1. Total activity and its ratio to maximum...

14 natural dentitioned subjects with no signs of TMJ disorders, aged 19-58, were used in this study. They were divided into three groups according to their occlusal guidance. One is canine guidance group (CG group), the other is group function group (GF group), and the last is group having non-working side contacts (FB group). All subjects were asked to perform maximum biting in 1) intercuspal position (IP), 2) right lateral position (rLP), 3) left lateral position (lLP), 4) retruded position (RP), and 5) protruded position (PP). EMG recordings of right and left masseter, anterior and posterior temporal muscles from pairs of surface electrodes were taken in each occluded position. The results were as follows: 1) Total integrated EMG activity of FB group was approximately equal in any occluded position, whereas that of CG and GF group varied from position to position. 2) EMG patterns in rLP and lLP of CG group were obviously different from those of GF group. Ratio to maximum biting in IP of CG group in rLP and lLP were significantly small, approximately half of GF group.