Comparative anatomic study of mandibular growth in rats after bilateral resections of superficial masseter, posterior temporal, and anterior digastric muscles.

Bilateral resections of the superficial masseter, posterior temporal, and anterior digastric muscles of rats were done to determine their effects on mandibular growth. The macroscopic findings support the functional matrix theory of mandibular growth. The analysis of body weight and the statistical two-way analysis of variance done suggest that malnutrition was the main factor that caused the mandibles of rats in the experimental groups of remain undersized.