Electromyographic Activity, Firing Time and Sequence of the Anterior Temporalis and the Masseter on Chewing Stroke

저작운동시 전측두근과 교근의 근활성 및 활성시기에 관한 연구

This study was performed to investigate the electromyographic(EMG) activity, firing time and sequence of the mandibular elevator muscle on gum chewing. For this study, 28 patients with temporomandibular disorders(TMD), especially internal derangement of TM joint, and 16 dental students without any signs and symptoms in the masticatory system were selected as the patients group and as the normal group, respectively. The patients group was composed of 14 right and 14 left side affected patients. For recording of EMG activity(${\mu}V$) of the anterior temporalis(TA) and the masseter muscle(MM), and measuring of firing time(millisecond) from the start of mandibular opening movement to the firing of the muscles, BioEMG, BioEGN, and Combo program integrated in the Biopak system(Bioresearch Inc., Milwaukee, USA) were used. Gum chewing stroke was performed in both right and left side for several times, and the first and the second chewing strokes were analysed and compared with regard to EMG activity, firing time, firing sequence, correlation between EMG activity and firing time. The data obtained were analysed by SPSS windows program and the results of this study were as follows : 1. In the patients group, chewing on the affected side showed higher EMG activities in the masseter of the side than those of the contralateral side, but chewing on the unaffected side showed higher EMG activity in the masseter and in the anterior temporalis of the side than those of the contralateral side. 2. There were no difference of firing time between both sides on chewing on the affected side, but firing time in the chewing side were earlier than that of contralateral side on chewing on the unaffected side in patients group. 3. In the normal group, EMG activities in the masseter and in the anterior temporalis in the chewing side were always higher than those of the contralateral side, and there were no difference of firing time between the two sides. 4. In general, firing sequence of four muscles of both sides were ipsilateral TA, ipsilateral MM, contralateral TA, and contralateral MM in earlier order of time in both groups. Correlation coefficients between EMG activity and firing time were negative value, and more significant correlation were appeared in the normal group than in the patients group.