A Study on the Activity of Masticatory and Cervical Muscles during Gum Chewing

Gum저작시 저작근 및 경부근 활성도에 관한 연구

The aim of this study was to investigate the electromyographic(EMG) activity of masticatory and cervical muscles according to chewing pattern in coronal plane during gum chewing. 70 patients with temporomandibular disorders and 30 dental students without any signs and symptoms of the disorders participated in this study. We measured the activity of masseter (MM), anterior temporalis(TA), sternocleidomastoideus(SCM) and trapezius muscle and recorded the chewing patterns using Biopak system synchronously. Chewing pattern was classified into S- or L-pattern by the midline opening path and short or long type by the lateral distance from midline. Obtained data were analyzed with SAS/STAT Program. The obtained results were as follows : 1. Generally, there was tended to be higher activity in the control group than in the patients group. 2. When comparing EMG activity according to preferred side, the muscle activity was tended to higher on the preferred chewing side than on the contralateral side. However, this difference is insignificant statistically 3. In unilateral affected patients, there was no difference in muscle activity between affected chewing side and unaffected chewing side except for the EMG of the temporalis anterior muscle. 4. Despite the varietal in each of the following variables, there mere no differences in EMG activity during gum chewing: chewing pattern in coronal plane and lateral distance of chewing. 5. The activity of SCM in chewing side was higher than that in contralateral side (p<0.001), but there was no difference in trapezius muscle. 6. In all of the control group, there was appeared L-chewing pattern than not involved the midline during preferred side chewing.