Mastication and electrical activation in the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles of children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta.
Andressa Colares da Costa Otavio, Mariana Vicereki Trescastro, Hilton Justino da Silva and 2 others
PMID 39879426WHAT IT FOUND
Children with moderate-to-severe osteogenesis imperfecta showed higher muscle activation at rest and during chewing than those with mild forms.
The absence of canine-guided occlusion and the presence of occlusal interference were linked to increased electrical activity in the jaw muscles at rest.
Key findings
01Participants with moderate-to-severe osteogenesis imperfecta (MSOI) had significantly higher electrical activation in the right and left masseter muscles at rest compared to those with mild osteogenesis imperfecta (MOI).
02The absence of canine-guided occlusion was associated with greater electrical activation in both the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles during rest tasks.
03Occlusal interference on the working side was associated with increased electrical activation at rest and during chewing tasks.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (22 participants), which limits the generalizability of the findings. The study did not include a healthy control group, so it is unclear if the observed muscle activation levels are abnormal for the general population. It was not possible to divide the sample into subgroups based on facial pattern, molar relationship, or specific OI genetic types, which may have masked important variations. The cross-sectional design cannot determine if the muscle activation changes cause the occlusal issues or vice versa.
Declared interests
The research was funded by the Fundo de Incentivo à Pesquisa do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre and Decit/SCTIE/MS-CNPq-FAPERGS. No specific conflicts of interest with commercial entities were declared in the text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that higher electrical muscle activation indicates a more effective or healthier chewing pattern. The study found that this increased activation, particularly in the moderate-to-severe OI group and those with occlusal interference, likely represents compensatory effort or instability rather than optimal function.