A Study on the Relation between Delaire's Ideal Occlusal Plane and Masticatory Muscle Activity in Korean Normal Angle Class I Occlusion Individuals

ABSTRACT

According to the functional matrix theory, Delaire proposes that individual occlusal plane was determined by variable effects of teeth, maxilla, mandible, cranium, cranial base and soft tissue matrix including the orofacial musculature. and that there is the ideal occlusal plane determined by the most proper spatial position of maxilla and mandible, functionally and esthetically. This study was designed to find out the relation between Delaire's ideal occlusal plane and muscle activity of masticatory muscles in individuals who have normal maxillo-mandibular relationships. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken and his/her individual occlusal plane and ideal occlusal plane were analyzed with Delaire's architectural and structural craniofacial analytic method. For evaluation of muscle activities of masticatory muscles, electromyography of anterior temporal muscle, superficial masseter muscle, and anterior belly of digastric muscle was recorded in fifty Korean normal Angle class I occlusion individuals. According to the average value of ideal occlusal plane, fifty normal Angle class I occlusion individuals were classified into three groups Ideal occlusal plane group(I group), hyperrotation group(I+ group) and hyporotation group(I-group). The result of this study was as follows 1. The results of Delaire's architectural and structural craniofacial analysis of lateral cephalography of the fifty Korean normal Angle class I occlusion individuals are that twelve persons(24%) have consistent or parallel with ideal occlusal plane and the average of angular difference was 1.22 degrees +/-3.69 degrees. 2. There is no significant difference in muscle activities of masticatory muscles during resting(p0.05) 4. Although there is no significant differences of masticatory muscle activities among the three groups, the fact that increasing tendency of masseter muscle activity of ideal occlusal plane group(I+) than those of any other groups(I+ and I-) during bilateral clenching was noted. There is only the implication that occlusal plane makes some effects on masticatory muscle activities, espacially that of masseter muscle during bilateral clenching. In conclusion, the hypothesis that occlusal plane is one of the factors which affect the muscle activities of masticatory muscles and that anyone whose occlusal plane consistent with Delaire's ideal occlusal plane has an extraordinary functional advantage in masticatory muscle function cannot be proven with electromyography methods.