[Integrated and frequency spectra of the electromyograms in patients with temporomandibular symptoms]

Abstract

With the aid of bipolar surface electrodes, the electromyographic activity of the anterior temporal and the superficial masseter muscles were recorded bilaterally and evaluated by counting the integrated potentials and mean power frequency using Fourier's analysis. A comparison between 17 patients with myofacial pain dysfunction (average age 21.3 years) and a group of 20 controls (average age 20.5 years) revealed a significantly greater activity in patients with pain syndrome, while no significant inter-group difference in mean power frequency was seen. The differences in the level of activity between the right and left sides in the control group were significantly smaller than in patients with pain dysfunction. An investigation of measures aimed at reducing the right/left asymmetry in a further 14 patients with pain dysfunction revealed the practice of "maximum occlusion with feedback" to be the most effective measure.