ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to analyze electromyographically the upper and lower fascicles of the orbicularis oris muscle in deaf patients comparing them with clinically normal patients. These patients present several disorders in facial muscles, temporomandibular joints disorders and constantly headache in virtue of not the use of the face expression muscles. This was performed in 30 patients from both sexes with a mean age of 18.5 years, divided into 3 groups of 10 patients each: 1. deaf patients with buccal breathing and incompetent lips; 2. in deaf patients with nasal breathing and competent lips; 3. clinically normal patients, in 7 clinical conditions: at rest with and without labial contact, sucking water, blowing, pursing and reciprocal compression of the lips and the emission of the syllabi "PA". It was observed that in the deaf patients group, both fascicles of the orbiculares oris muscles presented hyperactivity in most of the analyzed movements, mainly in buccal breathing with incompetent lips, and the lower fascicle demonstrated the highest electromyographic activity.
