Oral motor disorders in humans

Abstract

Motor disorders affecting the orofacial musculature include bruxism, chronic orofacial muscle pain affecting the jaw and neck muscles and the involuntary waking period disorders such as orofacial dyskinesia, oral mandibular dystonia, tremor and others. Research at UCLA has touched these and many other areas. Current results have indicated the usefulness of contingent afferent electrical stimulation of the lip to control bruxism; provided information regarding the fatigue, endurance and recovery faculties of the protrusive jaw muscles; explored the issue of chronic muscle hyperactivity inducing headache pain; and worked with botulin toxin as a method to treat orofacial dystonia and dyskinesia.