• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.109-115
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• 2017

Purpose: This study analyzed the effects of digastric muscle injury on mandibular growth in young rats. Methods: Fourteen 4-week-old Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups; experimental group A (n=6) with unilateral (right) shortening of the posterior digastric muscle, experimental group B (n=6) with bilateral shortening of the posterior digastric muscles, and control group C (n=2) who underwent a sham operation. Eight weeks after the operation all animals were sacrificed and the outcomes were compared using body weight evaluation, mensurations on lateral radiograph of hemimandibles and histological evaluation. Results: There was no significant difference between groups A and B in body weight gain. Comparison of the mean values of hemimandible distance on radiograph was performed. The difference in group mean value of mandible-related distances was analyzed using the Wilcoxon test (rank sum test) and a comparison of the homonymous distances of group A and B was performed using the Mann-Whitney test. There were differences between sides in mandibular length in group B and mandibular ramus height and transverse width of the condyle in group A (all, p<0.05). There were differences in condylar height and mandibular length on the left side between groups A and B (p<0.05). Histologic examination of temporomandibular joint showed similar findings in all specimens. Conclusions: Injury of the posterior belly of the digastric muscle during the rat growth period induced shortening of mandibular ramus height and transverse width of the condyle. It can be inferred that trauma to the posterior belly of the digastric muscle affects horizontal and vertical growth of the mandible.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.171-183
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• 1995

This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between tensed mandibular positions, muscle tenderness and EMG activity, respectively, and between range of motion of the neck and sternocleidomastoid muscle tenderness. Under stressful conditions, most of people take several types of behavioral patterns. Two of them observed frequently are clenching of teeth and grasping of fist. Prolonged clenching or grasping should increase electromyographic activity of associated muscle, especially muscles of mastication and neck muscles and will cause hyperfunction, dysfunction and muscle pain. So it is necessary to relate EMG activity with muscle pain. The author performed routine clinical examination in 47 patients with Temporomandibular Disorders, especially for presence or absence of muscle tenderness. Mandibular rest position was used as a baseline reference position and two more position in which EMG activity was taken were rest postion with grasping of fist and teeth clenching position. BioEMG of Biopak system (Bioresearch Inc, USA) was used for measuring of integrated EMG in masseter, anterior temporalis, anterior belly of digastic muscle and sternocleidomastoid muscle. To measure of the range of neck motion. CROM(Cervical-Range-of Motion, USA) was used. The obtained results were as follows : 1. EMG activity of all muscles except in masseter was higher in grasping of fist than those in rest position and there were significant correlation in EMG activity between the two position except in anterior belly of digastric muscle. 2. When comparing EMG activity between tender and non-tender muscle, all examined muscles did not show any significant difference. From this data, we could conclude that EMG activity was generally not changed with tenderness, of couse, it might be dependent with degree of muscle tenderness. 3. Number of tender points in examined muscles was also not significantly different between in patients with masticatory muscle disorders and in patients with internal derangement. 4. Cervical posture and range of motion of the neck was not differed significantly between in patients with and in patients without tenderness of sternocleidomastoid muscle.