EMG differences between weak and strong myogenous CMD patients and healthy controls

Electromyographic and clinical characteristics of 42 myogenous craniomandibular disorder (CMD) patients were related to 40 healthy control subjects. Surface EMG recordings were obtained from the masseter and the temporal muscles. The clinical examination included active maximum mouth opening, endfeel distance, active laterotrusion and lateral endfeel distance, dental abrasion, the presence of a lateral slide (RCP-ICP) and the amount of static pain. Orthopantomographic X-rays were available from 32 CMD patients for measuring the condylar and ramus asymmetry. Compared to the control group lower masseter and temporal EMG amplitudes were found for myogenous CMD patients (P < 0.001). When the activity of the temporal muscle was compared with the activity of the masseter muscle, the CMD patients showed proportionally higher temporal muscle activities than the controls (P < 0.05, 50% clenching level). CMD patients also showed smaller mandibular excursions, larger endfeel distances and more dental abrasion than controls. The temporal muscle asymmetries showed significant negative correlations with the ramus asymmetries. The lower and upper quartile of the distribution of the mean masseter EMG amplitudes were used to distinguish weak and strong muscles in patients and controls. Weak patients showed proportionally high temporal muscle activities, larger masseter and temporal muscle asymmetries, and larger endfeel distances compared to strong CMD patients. These differences were not found between weak and strong controls. In conclusion, it can be said that the electromyographic and clinical findings of the myogenous CMD patients suggest a functional difference between weak and strong patients and indicate the need for more individually designed treatment modalities for functional muscle and joint CMD problems.