Muscular and condylar response to rapid maxillary expansion. Part 1: electromyographic study of anterior temporal and superficial masseter muscles.
BACKGROUND
In this prospective clinical study, we investigated the effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on the electromyographic (EMG) activities of the anterior temporal and superficial masseter muscles.


METHODS
The sample included 18 subjects (11 girls, 7 boys; mean age, 12.54 years) with unilateral or bilateral posterior crossbites involving 3 or more posterior teeth. There was no control group in this study because of the short observation period. The EMG activity was recorded simultaneously from both muscles during swallowing a sip of water and unilateral gum chewing.


RESULTS
The mean EMG (mEMG) activities of the right and left anterior temporal muscles showed no statistically significant difference during swallowing and unilateral chewing. The mEMG activities of the right and left masseter muscles showed a statistically significant difference at unilateral chewing (P <0.01). There were a decrease of the mEMG activities for both muscles after RME and an increase during the observation period for unilateral chewing (P <0.05). Swallow-related mEMG activities of both muscles showed increases after RME and during the observation period (P <0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
RME affected the EMG activities of the anterior temporal and superficial masseter muscles during swallowing and unilateral chewing. These findings suggest that the alterations in the EMG activities of these muscles should be considered in both the treatment and the the stability of maxillary transverse deficiencies.
Arat
F Emel
FE
Department of Orthodontics, University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. femelarat@yahoo.com
Arat
Z Mirzen
ZM
Acar
Merve
M
Beyazova
Mehmet
M
Tompson
Bryan
B
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000628:therapy*; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008406:Masseter Muscle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013703:Temporal Muscle / Q000503:physiopathology*