A Study on the Effects of Maximum Voluntary Clenching on the Tooth Contact Points and Masticatory Muscle Activities in Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders

측두하악장애환자에 있어서 수의적 악물기시의 치아접촉점 및 저작근 활성에 관한 연구

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.