Masseter and temporalis muscle electromyography findings after lower third molar extraction.

BACKGROUND: The main clinical application of electromyography is to detect abnormalities in muscle function, to assess muscle activity for purposes of recruitment, and in the biomechanics of movement.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze electromyography (EMG) findings for masticatory muscles during chewing following surgical extraction of lower third molars, and to determine any correlation between pain, inflammation, trismus, and the EMG data registered.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective study included 31 patients. Surface EMG was used to study masseter and temporalis muscle function before lower third molar extraction and 72 hours and seven days after surgery. Clinical variables, pain, inflammation, and trismus were registered before and after surgery.

RESULTS: Studying the area and size of the masticatory muscles, higher values were found for temporalis than masseter muscles, regardless of the surgical side, which points to the greater involvement of the temporalis muscle in mastication. Comparing the side where surgery had been performed with the non-surgical side, a sharp and statistically significant reduction in amplitude and area were noted on the surgical side reflecting major functional affectation. One week after surgery, amplitude and area had almost returned to base-line values, indicating almost complete recovery. While pain decreased progressively after surgery, inflammation peaked at 72 hours, while mouth opening reached a minimum at this time, returning to normality within the week.

CONCLUSIONS: Surgical extraction of lower third molars produces changes to electromyography activity that are more evident during the first hours after surgery and closely related to the intensity of pain suffered and the patient's inflammatory responses, although they are not related to mouth opening capacity.