Effects of occlusal contact on the level of mandibular elevator muscle activity during maximal clenching in lateral positions.

The aim of this study is to clarify the normal relationship between jaw elevator muscle activity and occlusal contact in lateral positions in order to assess the appropriate anterior guidance of lateral jaw movements for occlusal reconstruction and treatment. The EMG-activity of the right and left masseter, anterior temporal, and posterior temporal muscles of 9 healthy subjects with full, natural dentition was measured with bipolar surface electrodes during two different biting efforts, one involves bite registration by a silicone material containing carbonate powder (BRS) and another is maximal voluntary clenching (MVC), at the right and left canines' edge to edge positions and intercuspal position. The difference in muscle activity between MVC and BRS, which was regarded as the actual muscle activity necessary for MVC, was calculated as a representative value for each muscle activity. When working-side occlusal contact was restricted by the anterior teeth, including the canines, the total actual EMG activity of the 6 jaw muscles had a significantly strong correlation with the frontal angle of the lateral incisal path and the occlusal contact area at the lateral occlusion. This result suggested the possibility that canine guidance would control the muscle activity during lateral tooth clenching.