• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2022

Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) causes destruction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and can lead to occlusal changes such as anterior open bite in some patients. Consequently, these patients may experience difficulty in chewing food items and exhibit abnormal functional habits such as bruxism, preventing healing of the TMJ condyles. Treatment protocols include the use of traction appliances to reduce stress on the condyles. Unstable occlusions can lead to weakness of the masticatory muscles which, in turn, worsen the occlusal changes and complicate pain management. Therefore, the current study evaluated the condition of the masseter muscle using ultrasonography and educated patients on the execution of gum-chewing exercises for muscle strengthening. It also aimed to assess the effects of traction appliances and strengthening exercises on the masticatory muscles of patients with occlusal changes caused by TMJ OA.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.155-160
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• 2021

The masticatory muscle disorder is the most common problem that patients with temporomandibular disorder often complain. For such complaints, treatment is directed towards reducing hyperactivity of muscles or effects of the central nervous system. However, if nonspecific occlusal change or pain persists, it is necessary to consider that muscle weakness might be the cause of the persistence of temporomandibular disorder. Stabilization of occlusion and improvement of the pain symptoms were achieved in both cases through the chewing gum exercise. This exercise may enable masticatory movements done in normal function by using muscle engram and achieve reinforcement of the masticatory muscles with balanced, simultaneous contacts of the teeth. In addition, it may be a viable method for treating temporomandibular disorders that do not respond well to conventional mandibular stabilization therapies.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.39-46
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of slump sitting postures on the masticatory, neck, shoulder, and trunk muscles associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMD). Eleven healthy adults (age, $23.3{\pm}2.7$ yrs; height, $174.0{\pm}4.1$ cm; weight, $61.4{\pm}6.6$ kg) participated in this study. The participants were free of injury history and neurologic deficits in the masticatory, neck muscles and upper extremities at the time of participation. The subjects were asked to perform erect and slump sitting postures under the guidance of physical therapists. The surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the anterior temporalis, masseter, upper trapezius, serratus anterior, middle trapezius, L3 paraspinal, external abdominal oblique, gluteus maximus muscles of 11 adults as they performed visual terminal display work, which are known as the weakened and tightened muscles owing to WRMD. The recorded signals were averaged and normalized to the mean amplitude of the EMG signal obtained during submaximal reference voluntary contractions. The results of study were as follows: The masseter, upper trapezius, serratus anterior, middle trapezius, L3 paraspinal, external abdominal oblique muscles significantly differed in the slump sitting posture (p<.05). The muscle activities of the serratus anterior, middle trapezius muscle, and external abdominal oblique were significantly lower and that of the masseter, upper trapezius, L3 paraspinal muscles were significantly higher. Further research is needed to assess the motor control problems and the function of the deep muscles in posture stability of patients with WRMD.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 1992

The authors performed a experimental study to evaluate the effects of masticatory muscle fatigue on tooth contact and masticatory muscle activity in 26 normal healthy women. The experimental masticatory muscle fatigue was induced by unilateral biting of 5kg force on mandibular first molar. The results were as follows : 1. The initial symptom related to muscle fatigue pain appeared in 85.19 seconds of isometric contraction and the endurance time of isometric contraction was 203.15 seconds. 2. The pain occurred more frequently in masseter region than in temporal region. In masseter pain the incidence was almost equal between both sides, whereas the temporal pain was more in contralateral side. 3. The spontaneity and the symmetry of tooth contact during maximum clenching were reduced after isometric unilateral biting. 4. After induction of experimental muscle fatigue, the EMG activities of masseter muscles of both sides and ipsilateral temporal muscle showed the tendency of decreasing activities. 5. The asymmetry indicies of masseter and temporal muscles were reduced after isometric bilateral biting.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.421-429
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• 2007

Some researchers suggested that tactile sensor system would be useful in evaluating masticatory muscles of TMD patients, but there were few studies on the effects of chewing with time. The aim of this study was to investigate the change of elasticity and stiffness for masseter and temporal muscles of normal subjects before, during and after gum chewing and to obtain the baseline data for further researches on the elasticity and stiffness for masticatory muscles of TMD patients. Stiffness and elasticity of their anterior temporalis and inferior masseter muscle were measured bilaterally by a tactile sensor system. Each subject was instructed to sit on a chair for evaluation of masticatory muscles. Before operating the sensor, the thickest skin area over anterior temporalis and inferior masseter muscles were selected as the points to be pressed by a tactile sensor, and marked with a pen. While the teeth of subjects were lightly contacted, the probe of the tactile sensor was placed perpendicularly over the marked point over the skin, followed by computer-controlled movement including gently pressing straight down on the muscle for a second and retracting. All subjects were instructed to chew gum (Excellent Breath, Taiyo Co., Japan) bilaterally with a velocity of 2 times per second for 40 minutes after the first measurement had been performed for the baseline data of all subjects. The measurements had been repeated during chewing with 10 minutes of interval and continued for 40 minutes with same interval after chewing. Resultantly, the decrease of elasticity and the increase of stiffness in masticatory muscles can be seen significantly within 10 minutes after chewing and those were maintained during chewing without significant change with chewing time. The elasticity of muscles was recovered within 10 minutes after stopping chewing, but the stiffness was recovered more lately than elasticity by about 10 minutes. Based on these results, it can be concluded that elasticity and stiffness of muscles would be good indicators to evaluate the masticatory muscles objectively, when more supported by further researches.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.89-103
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• 1989

In order to evaluate the influences of Myo-monitoring on masticatory muscles, Myo-monitoring on 31 normal persons and 30 persons with one more temporomandibular dysfunction symptoms during 45 minutes or above. The author observed velocities of mandibular opening and closing movement, variabilities of mandibular rest position and EMG activities of temporal and masseter muscles. The obtained results were as follows : 1. There were no significant differences on velocities of mandibular opening and closing movement between before and after Myo-monitoring. 2. There were significant differences on vertical dimension and total dimension form mandibular rest position to centric occlusion between before and after Myo-monitoring but no significant differences on anteroposterior and lateral dimension. 3. Activities of temporal and masseter muscles were decreased in Myo-Monitoring. 4. There were disappeared significant differences on EMG activity values between normal and symptom groups after myo-monitoring.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 1993

The author has synchronously recorded the average electromyographic activities of the sternocleidomastoid muscles, the anterior temporal muacles and the masseter muscles. The marious levels of occlusal force were checked during clenching the resin plates which are made to fit each of the maxillary and the mandibular teeth. These activities were recorded in order to study the EMG activity pattern of the sternocleidomastoid muscle during the masticatory function of the jaw in 11 healthy subjects. The obtined results were as follows : 1. The electromyographic activities of the sternocleidomastoid muscles, the anterior temporal muscles and the masseter muscles were increased as the occlusal force increased, and the sternocleidomastoid muscles have a lineal correlationship with the occlusal force. 2. The sternocleidomastoid muscles and the masseter muscles showed higher EMG activity during clenching at the ventroflexed head position rather than at the extended head position. (p<0.05) However the EMG activities of the anterior temporal muscles showed no difference between the ventroflexed position and the extended position of the head. 3. The electromyographic activities of the sternocleidomastoid muscles, the anterior temporal muscles and the masseter muscles during clenching are similar at the habitual position and at the retruded condylar position. 4. The electromyographic activities of the sternocleidomastoid muscles, the anterior temporal muscles and the masseter muscles on the working side during mastication of gum and almonds are significantly higher than on the balancing side except the masseter muscles during mastication of almonds. (p<0.05, P<0.01) 5. The asymmetry of gum are lower than that during mastication of almonds. (p<0.05) The asymmetry indices of the sternocleidomastoid muscles are higher than those of the anterior temporal muscles and masseter muscles.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.427-452
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• 1998

To elucidate the effects of food texture such as hardness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness on mastication procedure, the electromyographic activity (EMG) of the masticatory muscles and the chewing movements were analyzed in eighteen young subjects during ordinary chewing. Seven different foods were selected by sensory texture profiling and mechanical test with texturometer; egg white, sausage, pizza cheese, yang-geng, biscuit, peanut and almond. The indexes of jaw movements used were the chewing number, chewing time, maximum opening, average opening, closing velocity and opening velocity. The EMG indexes analyzed were maximum and average integrated amplitude of the anterior temporal and masseter muscles. The results obtained were as follows. 1. The chewing time and chewing number, mandibular displacement and mandibular movement velocity were not changed by the hardness, cohesiveness and adhesiveness of the food (p>0.05). 2. The harder food materials showed a higher amplitude of the anterior temporal muscle integrated EMGs than the softer ones (p<0.05). 3. The maximum and average integrated EMGs of the masseter muscle increased with the increase of hardness of the food (p<0.05). 4. The integrated EMGs of preferred side and non-preferred side masticatory muscles increased with the increase of hardness of the food (p<0.05). 5. The adhesiveness and cohesiveness of the food were not the determining factor to the integrated EMGs of masticatory muscles (p<0.05).

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.317-324
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• 2009

This study aimed to assess stiffness and elasticity of the masticatory muscle in the patients with the masticatory muscle pain using a tactile sensor and to investigate whether the masticatory muscle pain affects the facial expression muscles. From those who visited Department of Oral Medicine in Dankook University Dental Hospital, 27 patients presenting with unilateral muscle pain and tenderness in the masseter muscle (Ms) were selected (mean age: $36.4{\pm}13.8$ years). Exclusion criterion was those who also had temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders or any neurological pain. Muscle stiffness and elasticity for the muscles of mastication and facial expression was investigated with the tactile sensor (Venustron, Axiom Co., JAPAN) and the muscles measured were the Ms, anterior temporal muscle (Ta), frontalis (Fr), inferior orbicularis oculi (Ooci), zygomaticus major (Zm), superior and inferior orbicularis oris (Oors, Oori) and mentalis (Mn). t-tests was used to compare side difference in muscle stiffness and elasticity. Side differences were also compared between diagnostic groups (local muscle soreness (LMS) vs myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) and between acute (< 6M) and chronic ($\geq$ 6M) groups. This study showed that Ms and Zm at affected side exhibited significantly increased stiffness and decreased elasticity as compared to the unaffected side.(p<0.05) There was no significant difference between local muscle soreness and myofascial pain syndrome groups and between acute and chronic groups. The results of this study suggests that masticatory muscle pain in Ms can affect muscle stiffness and elasticity not only for Ms but also for Zm, the facial expression muscle.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.105-115
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• 1991

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the occlusal stability at the moment of dynamic occlusal tooth contact and to investigate the correlation between the occlusal stability and the masticatory muscle activities. It also evaluated the effect of short-term use of occlusal splints on the occlusal stability and the masticatory muscle activities in patients with temporomandibular disorders during maximum voluntary clenching by synchondronized with temporomandibular disorders during maximum voluntary clenching by synchronized use of the T-Scan system(Tekscan, Inc, USA) and K6-Diagnostic system(Myo-tronics Research, Inc, USA) The author measured its distance from retruded contact position(RCP) to intercuspal position(IP), average of contact intervals(ACI), total left-right statistics(TLR), average muscle activities of masseter and anterior temporal muscles during maximum voluntary clenching in 20 patients with temporomandibular disorders and 22 dental students as a control group. The data were compared between two groups and investigated for any correlations between the parameters. The results were as follows : 1. Both of the mean average of contact intervals and the mean absolute value of total left-right statistics during maximum voluntary clenching were increased in the patient group when compared with the control group. 2. Muscular disharmony of anterior temporal muscles of patient group is significantly greater than that of control group. However, muscular disharmony of masseter muscles of patient group is not significantly greater than that of control group. 3. There were significant correlations between muscular disharmony of anterior temporal muscles and average of contact intervals as well as total left-right statistics, and also between muscular disharmony of masseter muscles and total left-right statistics. 4. There were not any significant correlations between distance from RCP to IP and any other parameters. 5. There were a significant decrease in total left-right statistics and muscular disharmony of anterior temporal muscles during maximum voluntary clenching after a 1week use of occlusal splint in the patient group.