Electromyographic activity of masticatory muscles and mandibular movement during function in marginal mandibulectomy patients

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the masticatory muscle activity and mandibular movement during function in marginal mandibulectomy patients. Three marginal mandibulectomy patients and three healthy subjects participated in this study. The activities of the temporalis (TA) and masseter muscles (MM) on the normal and resected sides during maximum voluntary clenching (MVC) and gum chewing (Gch), and mandibular movement during Gch were analyzed. Paired t-test, Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA were performed at P < 0.05. For MVC, integrated EMG (iEMG) in patients was lower than in healthy subjects. When iEMG of each muscle activity in patients was compared, TA activity on the resected side was greater than that of MM. There were no differences between the normal and resected sides in TA or MM. For Gch, no differences in iEMG, burst or chewing time were found between patients and healthy subjects. MVC was greater than Gch in healthy subjects, but no difference was found in patients. The range of mandibular movement along the X axis in patients was greater than in healthy subjects. Within the limitations of this study, EMG activity in patients during MVC was remarkably lower than that in healthy subjects, and altered mandibular movement was observed.