Javiera Gómez; Florencia Lezcano; Franco Marinelli; Vivian Peldoza; Pablo Navarro & Ramón Fuentes

It has been postulated that the mandibular postural position (MPP) could not present the lower electromyographic activity (EMG) of the Masseter and Temporal muscles, and that the lower activity could be found in a larger opening. The objective of this study was to analyze the PPM in patients with different occlusal relationships and according to the positioning method, relating it to the EMG activity of the Masseter and Temporal muscles, in addition to recording the EMG activity in different oral openings. A sample of 25 adults aged 18 to 28 years was analyzed. Participants were classified according to their sex and Angle classification. Simultaneous recordings of surface EMG —Masseter and anterior portion of the Temporal— and EMA —position of the Mandible with respect to the Maxilla obtaining distance and angle— were performed in different mandibular positions: PPM—considering the method “without command” and “swallowing”— and gradual opening until the maximum opening is reached. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed. The lowest PPM obtained was 1.0 ± 0.6 mm in Class III women and using the “without command” method; the largest was 2.5 ± 0.2 mm in Class II women and using the “swallowing” method. The angular opening presented less variability than the linear distances. The activity of the right and left masseter muscles presented simi- lar values, as well as in the opening ranges up to 30 mm in men and women and in the different occlusal relationships. The activity of the Temporals for men and women and in the different occlusal relationships showed important variations between right and left and in the different degrees of opening. The presented technique allowed the study of the vertical dimension and oral openings through EMA and EMG.

KEY WORKS: Vertical dimension; Malocclusion; Mandibular rest position;Electromyography;Electromagnetic articulography.

GÓMEZ, J.; LEZCANO, F.; MARINELLI, F.; PELDOZA, V.; NAVARRO, P. & FUENTES, R. Vertical dimension of face in adults with different angle class. Int. J. Morphol., 40(3):584-594, 2022