Biting forces in patients with craniomandibular disorders.

Treatment for 10 female patients having craniomandibular disorders of neuromuscular origin showed a reduction in dysfunctional symptoms and improvement in their condition. In response to treatment, a standardized recording method was used to measure alterations to bite force values. In about 60 percent of categories representing various positions in the dental arch from which maximal and submaximal biting forces were measured, there was significant variation between replicate registrations. This persisted after treatment, indicating some loss of sensory acuity for fine bite-force adjustments in these patients. Discriminatory ability for large force adjustments was not, however, observed to be affected. Bite force values showed considerable fluctuation both before and after treatment. The lack of substantial increase in force values after a reduction in muscular dysfunction with treatment appears to suggest that an inhibitory mechanism controlling jaw-closing activity and pressure persists as a protective reflex for these patients.