title: Influence of surgical orthodontic treatment on masticatory function in skeletal Class III patients.
abstract: Skeletal Class III patients exhibit malocclusion characterised by Angle Class III and anterior crossbite, and their occlusion shows total or partially lateral crossbite of the posterior teeth. Most patients exhibit lower bite force and muscle activity than non-affected subjects. While orthognathic surgery may help improve masticatory function in these patients, its effects have not been fully elucidated. The aims of the study were to evaluate jaw movement and the electromyographic (EMG) activity of masticatory muscles before and after orthognathic treatment in skeletal Class III patients in comparison with control subjects with normal occlusion. Jaw movement variables and EMG data were recorded in 14 female patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and 15 female controls with good occlusion. Significant changes in jaw movement, from a chopping to a grinding pattern, were observed after orthognathic treatment (closing angle P < 0.01; cycle width P < 0.01), rendering jaw movement in the patient group similar to that of the control group. However, the grinding pattern in the patient group was not as broad as that of controls. The activity indexes, indicating the relative contributions of the masseter and temporalis muscles (where a negative value corresponds to relatively more temporalis activity and vice versa) changed from negative to positive after treatment (P < 0.05), becoming similar to those of control subjects. Our findings suggest that orthognathic treatment in skeletal Class III patients improves the masticatory chewing pattern and muscle activity. However, the chewing pattern remains incomplete compared with controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics Dentistry, Medical and Dental Hospital, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomonari
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikemori
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyawaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001732:Bite Force; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007568:Jaw / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D056948:Orthognathic Surgical Procedures; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Angle Class III; chewing; electromyography; mandibular prognathism; masticatory muscles; orthognathic surgery