title: Does orthodontic treatment provide a real functional improvement? a case control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electromyographic analysis of the masticatory muscles provides useful data on the behavior of these muscles during stomatognathic system functioning and allows a functional assessment of orthodontic treatments. This study was undertaken to verify if achieving an Angle Class I bite through orthodontic treatment can lead to neuromuscular balance.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study enrolled 30 patients (20 females, 10 males, mean age: 15.78 years) with an Angle Class II, division 1 malocclusion that was orthodontically treated. A group of 30 subjects (19 females, 11 males; mean age: 16.15 years), randomly selected among subjects with an Angle Class II, division 1 malocclusion that had not been orthodontically treated served as the Control group. Both groups were subjected to electromyography to study their neuromuscular characteristics. The Shapiro-Wilk's test revealed a non normal distribution, therefore we used a Friedman two way ANOVA by ranks test to compare differences of surface electromyography values between treated and untreated subjects at closed and open eyes condition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant interaction between orthodontic treatment and open eyes conditions was detected for anterior temporal muscles. A significant imbalance of the anterior temporal muscles, which is indicative of an asymmetric electromyographic pattern, was also found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present data indicate that achieving a correct occlusal target does not necessarily correspond to a neuromuscular balance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, V, le Vetoio 1, L'Aquila 67100, Italy. chiaramasci@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Masci
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ciarrocchi
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spadaro
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Necozione
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marci
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monaco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002680:Chin / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000473:pathology; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000628:therapy*; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008406:Masseter Muscle / Q000502:physiology; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000473:pathology; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology; D009915:Orbit / Q000473:pathology; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000379:methods*; D012658:Sella Turcica / Q000473:pathology; D013703:Temporal Muscle / Q000502:physiology; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome