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. 2023 Jul 21;12(14):4822.
doi: 10.3390/jcm12144822.

Determination of Mandibular Position and Mouth Opening in Healthy Patients and Patients with Articular and/or Muscular Pathology: A Pilot Study with 3D Electromagnetic Articulography and Surface Electromyography

Camila Cerda  1 , María Florencia Lezcano  2 , Franco Marinelli  3 , Josefa Alarcón  3   4 , Ramón Fuentes  3   5
Affiliations

Determination of Mandibular Position and Mouth Opening in Healthy Patients and Patients with Articular and/or Muscular Pathology: A Pilot Study with 3D Electromagnetic Articulography and Surface Electromyography

Camila Cerda et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a group of pathologies that affect the temporomandibular joint and its related structures, producing intracapsular and muscular pathologies. The aim of this study is to describe, by electromagnetic articulography (EMA) and simultaneous electromyography (sEMG), the mandibular postural position and mouth opening in healthy patients and with articular and/or muscular pathology.

Materials and methods: A pilot study was conducted with a sample of sixteen participants aged 18 years or older who attended the TMDs and Orofacial Pain Polyclinic of the University of La Frontera due to TMDs. The physiological inoculation space was evaluated from the mandibular postural position (MPP) with swallowing command and without command, in both healthy patients and patients with articular, muscular, and mixed TMDs, measured simultaneously with EMA and sEMG. An angular measurement of the oral opening was also performed with the data obtained.

Results: The physiological inoculation space was obtained from the determination of the MPP through the procedures with swallowing command and without command, and different mouth opening degrees were evaluated.

Conclusions: Simultaneous position and sEMG records can be produced from EMA, and different characterization variables such as the vertical distance, Euclidean distance, and angle can be obtained.

Keywords: EMA; joint disorders; muscle disorders; temporomandibular joint.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A). Articulograph sensor. (B). Bite plane with sensors located in the central (BP(C)) and lateral areas (BP(L)) of the grooves of the accessory. (C). Reference sensors (R), positioned on the glabella (R(G)), right mastoid (R(MR)), and left mastoid (R(ML)). Active sensor (A), located in the interincisive line of the incisors of the mandible (A(I)).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The patient is positioned under the EMA head with the reference sensors, active sensors, and bite plane in position.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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