Electromyographic and computer analyses of patients suffering from chronic myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome: Before and after treatment with immediate complete anterior guidance development

Abstract

Seven women patients at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine were evaluated for the subjective symptoms of a myofascial pain dysfunction. Each patient was evaluated by an occlusal analysis of the T-Scan computer to determine posterior disclusion time during excursive movements, and EMG analysis of the masseter and temporalis muscles. Each patient was then treated occlusally by developing immediate complete anterior guidance. This adjustment process involved the removal of all lateral and protrusive interferences prior to habitual closure adjustments. No attempt was made to retrude the mandible in centric relation, and splints were not used to deprogram the musculature before adjustment. In this study, protrusive movements and interferences were not examined, and there was no control group. Posttreatment EMG and T-Scan computer analyses revealed that by shortening disclusion times to less than 0.5 second in any lateral excursions, muscle function returned to normal in all seven patients in approximately 1 month's time. A direct correlation seemed to exist between contractile muscle activity and disclusion time. Lengthy disclusion time leads to excessive muscle activity that introduces spasm and fatigue of the masseter and temporal muscles. These results indicated that a partial explanation of the etiology of MPDS may be the time the molars and nonworking premolars remain in contact during excursive movements—a phenomenon termed “disclusion time”.