Indications for jaw gape-related control of relative muscle activation in sequent chewing strokes.

Jaw muscle activity ratios in unilateral isometric biting differ from ratios of unilateral chewing but approach the latter if the jaw gape in biting is made as small as the minimum interocclusal distance (MID) of chewing. Especially, the masseter working/balancing side ratio (W/B-ratio) becomes as asymmetric as in chewing, because of reduction in balancing side (BS) masseter activity. This behaviour of ratios might reflect a 'chewing-specific' motor strategy induced when isometric biting is performed with a 'chewing-like' gape. If this hypothesis applies, activity ratios should be associated with MIDs of sequent chewing strokes in a similar manner as with incremented jaw gapes in isometric biting. To test this prediction, bilateral surface electromyograms of masseter and anterior temporalis muscles and incisor movements were recorded during unilateral chewing in 52 subjects. W/B-ratios of masseter and temporalis activities and temporalis/masseter-ratios on both sides were calculated. The ratios were related to MIDs of consecutive chewing cycles. Three of the four ratios were associated with masticatory MID in the same manner as with jaw gape in isometric biting. In particular with decreasing MID, the masseter W/B-ratio increased from 1.5 to 2.2 (P < 0.01). This increase in asymmetry was attributed to a stronger decrease in masseter activity on the BS than on the working side. We conclude that relative jaw muscle activation is associated with interocclusal distance in a similar way in isometric biting and in chewing. This analogy supports the idea of a common jaw gape-related neuromuscular strategy facilitated by afferent signalling of interocclusal distance.

Motor control of jaw muscles in chewing and in isometric biting with graded narrowing of jaw gape.

When a certain bite force is applied during unilateral chewing, the combination of jaw elevator muscle activities is different than when a comparable force is applied in unilateral isometric biting, e.g. on a force transducer. Masticatory peak force is generated in a nearly isometric phase of the chewing cycle, with a jaw gape of about 1 mm. In contrast, peak force in isometric biting on force measuring equipment usually induces jaw gapes of 6 mm or even more. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that the jaw gape influences relative activation of elevator muscles in unilateral isometric biting. We further examined whether such influence could explain the different activity combinations of chewing and isometric biting. In thirty asymptomatic males, masseter and temporalis activities were recorded during intermittent isometric biting with jaw gapes of 6, 5, 3, 2 and 1 mm and during unilateral chewing. Activity combinations were described by working/balancing ratios and by temporalis/masseter ratios. With decreasing jaw gape the working/balancing ratio of the posterior temporalis decreased (P < 0.002) while that of the masseter increased (P < 0.001). Likewise, the temporalis/masseter ratio on the balancing side increased (P < 0.001). With decreasing jaw gape, activity ratios of isometric biting approached ratios of chewing. We conclude that: (i) relative jaw muscle activation in isometric biting depends on the jaw gape, (ii) relative muscle activation in chewing resembles relative activation of isometric biting with a small 'chewing-like' gape. This suggests that characteristic activity combinations in chewing are mainly a result of the approximately isometric contraction during the slow closing phase of the chewing cycle.

Task-dependence of activity/ bite-force relations and its impact on estimation of chewing force from EMG.

Estimation of chewing force from electromyograms (EMGs) calibrated in isometric biting yielded strikingly high force values. We tested the hypothesis that EMG-based force predictions are excessive because of differing activity/bite-force relations in mastication and isometric biting. In nine patients, unilateral bite forces and EMGs of 4 elevator muscles were recorded during chewing and isometric clenching on a bite-fork. We estimated chewing force by substituting chewing EMGs of each muscle into isometric activity/bite-force regressions. The estimates were compared with actual chewing forces recorded by intra-oral transducers. In all muscles except the balancing-side masseter, the activity/bite-force ratio was significantly higher in chewing than in isometric biting. The actual mean chewing force amounted to 220 N, while EMG-based estimates ranged from 273 to 475 N, depending on the muscle used for estimation. The results indicate that different activity/force characteristics in dynamic and isometric biting can cause overestimation when chewing force is predicted from masticatory EMGs.

Investigation of a possible relationship between kinematic points and condylar attachments of the lateral ligaments.

Kinematic points are proposed as reference for assessment of condyle motion. They are defined by coincidence between open-closing and protrusive trajectories. According to anatomical findings, this feature should also apply to the condylar attachment of the lateral ligament that should guide the condyle on an arc around its tubercular fixation. Our aim was to examine if evidence for a correspondence between the kinematic point and the condylar attachment of the ligament could be derived from condylar dynamics. In 60 asymptomatic volunteers, open-closing and protrusive jaw movements were recorded with 6 d.f. Kinematic points were found 2. 5+/-2.9 mm anterior and 4.3+/-2.9 mm inferior from the terminal-hinge point. Their coinciding traces could be fitted by arcs with radii of 11.7+/-2.2 mm. The centres of the arcs were found 10.4+/-1.6 mm anterior and 4.9+/-2.4 mm superior from the kinematic points. When compared to anatomy, the local distributions of kinematic points and arc centres corresponded well to the condylar and tubercular fixation areas of the ligament. The findings provide circumstantial evidence for a correspondence between kinematic points and the attachment of the lateral ligament. Kinematic points could provide a better means to assess condyle motion than other posterior landmarks, when in addition, movements of adjacent points and rotational properties are considered.

Predicted incidence of excursive occlusal errors in common modes of articulator adjustment.

PURPOSE: Functional relationships between occlusal errors and articulator settings have been the subject of numerous investigations. It is, however, not known how frequently errors of a certain size occur under practical conditions. This study attempted to estimate the frequency of occlusal errors that can be expected with the different levels of registration and articulator adjustment that are currently used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 57 asymptomatic subjects, individual articulation parameters, including the condylar and Bennett angles, the spatial relation of dental arches, and the intercondylar distance, were determined experimentally. Tooth-guided lateral movements of the subjects' casts were simulated in a virtual articulator that was programmed to the individual parameters of each person. With respect to this reference setting, occlusal errors that would emerge with different modes of semi-individual adjustment were calculated. The intercondylar distance thereby remained fixed at 110 mm. RESULTS: With complete mean value setting, occlusal errors would exceed 200 microns at the second molar in 16% of the subjects and 300 microns in 6% of the subjects. Individual facebow registration of condylar angles and spatial relations would reduce these rates to 13% (200 microns) and 3% (300 microns). With additional setting of Bennett angles, occlusal errors would exceed the mentioned limits in no more than 1.6% and 0.1% of cases, respectively. This extensive mode of adjustment became, however, increasingly ineffective with higher demands for occlusal accuracy. CONCLUSION: Complete mean value setting is associated with a relatively low risk of occlusal errors exceeding tolerance limits that are widely accepted in practice. Compared to mean value setting, facebow registration of condylar angle and relations yields no profitable improvement of occlusal accuracy.

Differences between traces of adjacent condylar points and their impact on clinical evaluation of condyle motion.

PURPOSE: Recent research revealed that traces of single posterior reference points can depend on the location of the monitored point. The aim of this study was to quantify this dependence and to point out its consequences for clinical application of condylar path registrations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 60 asymptomatic volunteers, mandibular motion was recorded during protrusion, lateral excursion, and opening-closing of the jaw. Simultaneous trace-patterns of 10 condylar points including the hinge-axis point and the kinematic-axis point were compared with respect to length, inclination angles, coordination, and shape. RESULTS: In protrusion, traces of the different condylar points were equal and independent of the location of the monitored point. Bennett angles depended on the sagittal position of the reference point and varied by 0.8 degree per 1 mm change of location. Opening-closing traces differed considerably. Their lengths varied by up to 9 mm and inclination angles varied by 40 degrees. Opening-closing patterns also showed irregularities like those observed in temporomandibular disorders. Irregularities were minor for the hinge-axis point and least for the kinematic-axis point. CONCLUSION: In tooth-guided movements "condyle motion" is represented by the traces of any point near the condyle. In opening-closing, however, the trajectory of a single condylar point will not reliably represent condylar motion. For articulator adjustment, condylar angles must not be taken from opening-closing, but only from protrusion. In diagnostic applications, one has to be aware that irregular traces may not only result from dysfunction, but may as well be a result of the choice of reference point.

[The bonding properties of various silicone impression materials at standardized surfaces using adhesives]. / Die Haftung verschiedener Silikonabformmaterialien an standardisierten Oberflächen unter Verwendung von Adhäsiven.

Light body cured and putty cured silicone impression materials were tested for tensile strength on metallic surfaces. The effect of roughened surface was compared to the effect of tray adhesives. The bonding strength of light body cured materials appeared to be twice as high than that of putty cured materials. Roughening of the surface resulted in an improved adhesion, but the values of tray adhesives were not matched. The highest tensile forces were obtained using those tray adhesives recommended by the manufacturer.