Quantitative electromyographic assessment of facial muscles in cross-bite female children

The electromyography has been widely used as a diagnostic method for facial muscle conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the RMS (Root Mean Square) value of the electromyographic signal of facial muscles in children with normal occlusion or cross-bite as well as to verify a possible clinical application of this parameter. “Normal group” was composed of female children with normal occlusion and “cross-bite group” was composed of female children with cross-bite. We performed quantitative electromyographic analysis of masseter and temporal muscles at rest and with maximum biting force. Our results showed that the occlusion modifications affect normal masticatory muscle function, and that the quantitative electromyography is an important tool to help diagnosing the malocclusion in female children. Considering the analysis of the results, we verified that the electromyographic rest activity of the masseter or temporal muscles in cross-bite female children is higher in relation to the rest activity of normal occlusion female children. We concluded that the RMS value of the masseteric and temporal electromyographic signal has a diagnostic value to discriminate female children with cross-bite from those with normal occlusion. A eletromiografia tem sido amplamente utilizada como metodo diagnostico de disfuncoes de musculos da face. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a tensao RMS do sinal eletromiografico de musculos da face de criancas do sexo feminino com oclusao normal ou com mordida cruzada, visando avaliar uma possivel aplicacao clinica deste parâmetro. O “grupo normal” foi composto por criancas do sexo feminino com oclusao normal e o “grupo mordida cruzada”por criancas do sexo feminino com diagnostico de mordida cruzada. Foram realizadas analises eletromiograficas quantitativas dos musculos masseter e temporal nas condicoes de repouso e em maxima contracao voluntaria isometrica (MCV). Considerando a relacao da tensao RMS do sinal eletromiografico no repouso e em MCV, nossos resultados mostraram que variacoes de oclusao influenciam a funcao muscular mastigatoria normal e que a eletromiografia quantitativa e uma ferramenta util para auxiliar o diagnostico de alteracoes oclusais em criancas do sexo feminino. Encontrou-se maior atividade eletromiografica em repouso dos musculos masseter e temporal em criancas do sexo feminino com mordida cruzada em relacao as com oclusao normal. Concluimos que a tensao RMS do sinal eletromiografico masseterico e temporal tem valor diagnostico para discriminar criancas do sexo feminino com mordida cruzada em relacao as com oclusao normal.