Occlus-o-Guide®versus Andresen activator appliance: neuromuscular evaluation

Giampietro Farronato,Guido Galbiati,Lucia Giannini,Elena Grillo,Cinzia Maspero

doi:10.1186/2196-1042-14-4

Giampietro Farronato, Guido Galbiati + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/2196-1042-14-4

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Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of the present study was to assess the muscular variations at the electromyography (EMG) level for the anterior temporalis muscles and masseter muscles during treatment with Occlus-o-Guide® and Andresen activator appliances.MethodsEighty-two patients (35 males and 47 females) aged between 8 and 12 years (mean age, 10.5 ± 0.8 years) participated in the study. Fifty patients underwent treatment with an Occlus-o-Guide® and 32 patients with an Andresen activator. All patients underwent EMG examination using a Freely EMG (De Gotzen, Legnano, Italy) and surface bipolar electrodes when the appliances were worn for the first time (T0), and after 6 months (T1) and after 12 months (T2) of appliance use.ResultsStatistical analysis showed that both at T0 and T2, the percent overlapping coefficient (POC) of the anterior temporalis muscles was not statistically different between the appliance groups. At T0, the POC of the masseter muscles was significantly lower for the Andresen appliance as compared to the Occlus-o-Guide® (p = 0.02), while at T2 this significance was lost.ConclusionsAt insertion of an appliance, all patients show neuromuscular balance that does not correspond to orthognathic occlusion. Both appliances work by creating muscular imbalance. With the appliances in situ, EMG responses were generally analogous for the Occlus-o-Guide® and the Andresen activator; however, the imbalance was greater and the recovery of the orthological muscular balance was slower in patients under treatment with the Andresen activator as compared to those with the Occlus-o-Guide®.

Highlights

The aim of the present study was to assess the muscular variations at the electromyography (EMG) level for the anterior temporalis muscles and masseter muscles during treatment with Occlus-o-GuideW and Andresen activator appliances
The neuromuscular imbalance caused by the use of the Andresen appliance was greater when compared to that of the Occlus-o-GuideW because with the appliances in place, in all of the data acquisitions, the percent overlapping coefficient (POC)-ATM and POC-MM were always lower for the Andresen appliance
Upon insertion of an appliance (T0), all of the patients showed neuromuscular balance that did not correspond to orthognathic occlusion, both for those under treatment with the Occlus-o-GuideW and those under treatment with the Andresen activator

Summary

Introduction

The aim of the present study was to assess the muscular variations at the electromyography (EMG) level for the anterior temporalis muscles and masseter muscles during treatment with Occlus-o-GuideW and Andresen activator appliances. Technological innovations have led to the production and introduction into clinical orthodontic practice of electronic instruments for the recording of patient physiological and biological data obtainable through objective examinations. These supply diagnostic documents that have medico-legal value [1,2,3,4]. The use of EMG allows the analysis of the neuromuscular patterns of patients before, during and after therapy with such functional appliances. Ahlgren [6] showed that before and after activator treatment, Class II patients have balanced EMG patterns

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