Surface Electromyography as a Method for Diagnosing Muscle Function in Patients with Congenital Maxillofacial...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Orthodontics
• Maxillofacial Surgery

Background:

• Electromyography (EMG) objectively measures muscle electrical potentials for function and efficiency.
• Surface EMG (sEMG) utilizes skin-placed electrodes to detect motor unit action potentials.
• sEMG is crucial in orthodontics for diagnosing temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and assessing malocclusions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the utility of sEMG in diagnosing muscle function in patients with congenital maxillofacial abnormalities.
• To address the limited information available on sEMG activity in this specific patient population.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of original papers published in English.
• Literature search conducted in the MEDLINE/PubMed database.
• Inclusion criteria: studies published between 1995 and 2020.

Main Results:

• Limited studies currently investigate sEMG in congenital maxillofacial abnormalities.
• The review synthesizes existing data on sEMG's application in this field.
• Identifies gaps in current research regarding muscle function assessment.

Conclusions:

• sEMG holds significant potential as a diagnostic tool for muscle function in congenital maxillofacial malformations.
• Further research is warranted to fully establish its role and refine methodologies for this patient group.
• sEMG can aid in treatment planning and monitoring for individuals with these conditions.