Efficiency of Using Mastication Test with Food Stimuli While Performing Electromyographic Studies in Dental Patients

Abstract

The relevance of the topic is related to the necessity for a more detailed study of the effectiveness of surface electromyography as a method for diagnosis of pathological conditions of the teeth-and-jaws system and estimation of the orthopaedic treatment results. The objective of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of using a mastication test while performing surface electromyography in dental patients. We studied and analysed the output of surface electromyograms of m.masseter and m.temporalis obtained from a functional test of the maximum jaw clenching and a mastication test with a food stimulus in 54 persons. The results of the study showed a slight difference in the absolute values between the data of the functional test of the maximum jaw clenching and the mastication test. However, the comparative data of the tests after editing (removal of fragments representing the maximal mouth opening during the mastication from electromyograms in the "Neuro-MSP" program) showed no significant difference in data ($>$0.05) and the maximum approximation of the absolute values of the functional and mastication tests in all cases. Thus, it has been established that in practice the mastication test while performing electromyography in dental patients should be determined and carried out as an additional one in order to clarify the results of treatment. Further studying and establishment of the most effective methods for electromyography is considered to be promising in dentistry.