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Predictability of jaw muscle pains from surface electromyograms
1Marquette University, School of Dentistry, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation
|April 1, 1996
Summary
Maximum teeth clenching can cause masseter muscle pain. Higher muscle activity increases pain risk, but masseteric surface electromyography has a high false diagnostic ratio for pain onset.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Neurology
- Musculoskeletal Research
Background:
- Masseter muscles play a crucial role in mastication.
- Jaw clenching can lead to muscle pain and dysfunction.
- Understanding masseter muscle activity is key to diagnosing pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between masseter muscle contractile activity and pain.
- To assess the diagnostic utility of surface electromyography in identifying pain onset.
Main Methods:
- Isometric contractions of maximum voluntary teeth clenching were performed by healthy subjects.
- Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to quantify masseter muscle activity.
- Pain onset and intensity were recorded in relation to muscle activity levels.
Main Results:
- Pain was elicited in 88% of subjects during maximal teeth clenching.
- The risk of pain onset was 2.5 times higher in the masseter muscle with greater isometric activity.
- Masseteric surface electromyography demonstrated a false diagnostic ratio of 0.67 for pain onset diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Increased masseter muscle activity during teeth clenching is associated with a higher risk of pain.
- Surface electromyography shows limited diagnostic accuracy for masseter muscle pain onset.
- Further research is needed to improve diagnostic methods for jaw muscle pain.