Postural activity in subjects with functional disorders of the chewing apparatus

Abstract

Abstract— In 39 patients with functional disorders of the temporomandibular joint and the muscles of mastication and in 45 dental students without such disorders, the activity in the temporal and masseter muscles was recorded with the subjects seated upright and the mandible at rest. On the average, the level of postural activity in the patients was significantly stronger than in the control group. The increase was not a general trait including all muscles under study, as its location differed among patients and was limited to single muscles in most cases. In the temporal muscles, increased activity was associated with tenderness by palpation. Strong postural activity in the masseter muscles was associated with pain in the cheek and tenderness of the deep part of the muscle. The individual variation of the electromyographic findings pointed to a differentiated etiology more than to a general increase of activity for emotional reasons.