Masseter muscle hypertrophy: case report. (73/310)

Masseter muscle hypertrophy is characterized by unilateral or bilateral enlargement of the masseter muscles affecting both males and females after puberty. Its etiology remains unknown. Limitations on mouth opening and also tension in the region of the hypertrophied muscle are symptoms reported. This paper reports a case of masseter muscle hypertrophy diagnosed using imaging modalities such as conventional radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans. The familiarity with this condition is important to settle the differential diagnosis with other pathologies such as parotid gland tumors and dental infection.  (+info)

Textural evaluation of rice cake by chewing and swallowing measurements on human subjects. (74/310)

The difficulty in masticating and swallowing rice cake was quantified. Healthy subjects ate pieces of rice cake (9 g and 3 g) and a modified product (9 g). We used electromyography to measure the activity of the jaw-closing and -opening muscles during chewing, as well as the suprahyoid muscle activity, laryngeal movement, and sound during swallowing. The smaller the rice cake, the shorter the mastication time, the fewer the number of chews, and the less the jaw-closing muscle activity. A modified rice cake product (9 g) was consumed with less mastication effort than the standard rice cake (9 g) and with the same effort as the standard (3 g). Both the sample amount and texture influenced mastication, although neither factor caused a significant difference in swallowing characteristics. These observations suggest that swallowing was induced when the bolus properties became suitable for swallowing, as healthy subjects could adjust their mastication technique according to the food amount and texture.  (+info)

Muscle thickness, bite force, and craniofacial dimensions in adolescents with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction. (75/310)

Ultrasonography has been used to determine the association between muscle thickness, temporomandibular dysfuntion (TMD), facial morphology, and bite force. The aim of this study was to evaluate signs and symptoms (SS) of TMD using the craniomandibular index (CMI), masseter and anterior temporalis thickness, facial dimensions, and bite force in adolescents (12-18 years of age): 20 (10 males and 10 females) with SSTMD and 20 without (control, matched for age and gender). Ultrasonography was carried out using Just-Vision 200, and bite force measured with a pressure transducer. The measurements undertaken on the cephalograms included anterior (n-gn, n-Me, sp-gn) and posterior (S-tgo) facial dimensions, jaw inclination (NSL/ML), vertical jaw relationship (NL/ML), gonial angle (ML/RL), and overbite and overjet. The data were analysed with analysis of variance, Pearson's and Spearman's correlation and multiple regression. The SSTMD group showed a smaller bite force than the controls (P < 0.05). In the control group, bite force was negatively correlated with jaw inclination and overbite. There were negative correlations between anterior temporalis thickness and anterior facial dimensions; and positive correlations for masseter and anterior temporalis and posterior dimensions. In the SSTMD group, there were positive correlations for masseter and bite force, and anterior and posterior dimensions. Negative correlations were found for the masseter and temporalis muscles and jaw inclination and vertical jaw relationship. Multiple regression analysis showed that in the control group the overjet and jaw inclination contributed 50 per cent to the variance in bite force. In the SSTMD group, the dimensions of the masseter muscles during contraction contributed 39 per cent to the variance. The correlations between CMI and the craniofacial variables were more significant in the SSTMD group. The findings indicate that muscle thickness influences facial dimensions and bite force in adolescents with SSTMD.  (+info)

Masticatory muscle thickness, bite force, and occlusal contacts in young children with unilateral posterior crossbite. (76/310)

Few investigations have evaluated the characteristics of functional and structural malocclusion in young children. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the ultrasonographic thickness of the masseter and anterior portion of the temporalis muscles, the maximum bite force, and the number of occlusal contacts in children with normal occlusion and unilateral crossbite, in the primary and early mixed dentition. Forty-nine children (26 males and 23 females) was divided into four groups: primary-normal occlusion (PNO), mean (PNO) age 58.67 months; primary-crossbite (PCB), mean age 60.50 months; mixed-normal occlusion (MNO), mean age 72.85 months; and mixed-crossbite (MCB), mean age 71.91 months. Thickness was evaluated with the muscles at rest and during maximal clenching, and comparison was made between the right and left side (normal occlusion), and between the normal and crossbite side (crossbite). The results were analysed using Pearson's correlation, paired and unpaired t-test, and Mann-Whitney ranked sum test. The anterior temporalis thickness at rest was statistically thicker for the crossbite side than the normal side in the MCB group (P = 0.0106). A statistical difference in bite force and the number of occlusal contacts was observed between the MNO and MCB groups, with greater values for the MNO subjects (P < 0.05). Masseter muscle thickness showed a positive correlation with bite force, but the anterior temporalis thickness in the PCB and MCB groups was not related to bite force. Masticatory muscle thickness and bite force did not present a significant correlation with occlusal contacts, weight, or height. It was concluded that functional and anatomical variables differ in the early mixed dentition in the presence of a malocclusion and early diagnosis and treatment planning should be considered.  (+info)

Systemic administration of monosodium glutamate elevates intramuscular glutamate levels and sensitizes rat masseter muscle afferent fibers. (77/310)

There is evidence that elevated tissue concentrations of glutamate may contribute to pain and sensitivity in certain musculoskeletal pain conditions. In the present study, the food additive monosodium glutamate (MSG) was injected intravenously into rats to determine whether it could significantly elevate interstitial concentrations of glutamate in the masseter muscle and whether MSG administration could excite and/or sensitize slowly conducting masseter afferent fibers through N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation. The interstitial concentration of glutamate after systemic injection of isotonic phosphate-buffered saline (control) or MSG (10 and 50mg/kg) was measured with a glutamate-selective biosensor. The pre-injection baseline interstitial concentration of glutamate in the rat masseter muscle was 24+/-11 microM. Peak interstitial concentration after injection of 50mg/kg MSG was 63+/-18 microM and remained elevated above baseline for approximately 18 min. In vivo single unit recording experiments were undertaken to assess the effect of MSG (50mg/kg) on masseter afferent fibers. Injection of MSG evoked a brief discharge in one afferent fiber, and significantly decreased ( approximately 25%) the average afferent mechanical threshold (n=10) during the first 5 min after injection of MSG. Intravenous injection of ketamine (1mg/kg), 5 min prior to MSG, prevented the MSG-induced decreases in the mechanical threshold of masseter afferent fibers. The present results indicate that a 2- to 3-fold elevation in interstitial glutamate levels in the masseter muscle is sufficient to excite and induce afferent mechanical sensitization through NMDA receptor activation. These findings suggest that modest elevations of interstitial glutamate concentration could alter musculoskeletal pain sensitivity in humans.  (+info)

Roles of intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles in feeding: electromyographic study in pigs. (78/310)

The performance of tongue muscles in various feeding behaviours is not well defined. This study was undertaken to examine the role of the intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles during natural drinking, food ingestion and chewing. Ten 12-week-old Yucatan miniature pigs (5 in each gender) were used. Under anesthesia, fine-wire electrodes were inserted into three intrinsic (verticalis and transversus [V/T]; superior and inferior longitudinalis [SL and IL]) and two extrinsic (genioglossus [GG] and styloglossus [SG]) tongue muscles and two jaw muscles (masseter [MA] and anterior digastricus [DI]). Electromyogram (EMG) and jaw movement were recorded and synchronized when pigs were drinking water, ingesting and chewing food freely. Chewing frequency (CF), onset of activation, burst duration and integrated activity (IEMG) were assessed quantitatively, and EMG activities during drinking and ingestion were examined qualitatively. Results indicate that during chewing, the V/T and GG had one phase of activity starting at early jaw opening, and the V/T activity lasted through late of jaw closing. The SL, IL and SG had double phases with the first starting at jaw opening and the second at late jaw closing phases. The three intrinsic tongue muscles and the SG were active during 35-48% of the chewing cycle. IEMG values of the SL, IL and SG of both sides were significantly greater compared to the other muscles (p<0.05-0.01). Both the SL and the IL showed significantly higher activities in the contralateral than ipsilateral sides (p<0.05). The timing sequences of both extrinsic and intrinsic muscles were similar between ingestion and chewing, but amplitudes of the GG and IL were greatly enhanced and those of the MA and SL were reduced during ingestion. The simultaneous activation of the MA, GG and V/T were seen during drinking, along with major activity in the GG and V/T. These results suggested that the majority of activity in the intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles occurred during jaw opening and the occlusal phases of chewing. The activity of the GG and IL played a major role during ingestion, whereas simultaneous activation of jaw, extrinsic and intrinsic tongue muscles and major activity in the GG and V/T occurred during drinking.  (+info)

Sex-related differences in NMDA-evoked rat masseter muscle afferent discharge result from estrogen-mediated modulation of peripheral NMDA receptor activity. (79/310)

In the present study, the hypothesis that sex-related differences in glutamate-evoked rat masseter muscle afferent discharge may result from estrogen-related modulation of peripheral N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activity and/or expression was tested by examining afferent fiber discharge in response to masseter injection of NMDA and the expression of NR2A/B subunits by masseter ganglion neurons in male and female rats. The results showed that injection of NMDA into the masseter muscle evoked discharges in putative mechanonociceptive afferent fibers and increased blood pressure that was concentration-dependent, however, a systemic action of NMDA appeared responsible for increased blood pressure. NMDA-evoked afferent discharge was significantly greater in female than in male rats, was positively correlated with plasma estrogen levels in females and was significantly greater in ovariectomized female rats treated with a high dose (5 mug/day) compared with a low dose (0.5 mug/day) of estrogen. Pre-treatment of high dose estrogen-treated-ovariectomized female rats with the Src tyrosine kinase inhibitor PP2 did not affect NMDA-evoked afferent discharge. NMDA-evoked afferent discharge was attenuated by the antagonists ketamine and ifenprodil, which is selective for NR2B containing NMDA receptors. Fewer masseter ganglion neurons expressed the NR2A (16%) subunit as compared with the NR2B subunit (38%), which was expressed at higher frequencies in intact female (46%) and high dose estrogen-treated ovariectomized female (60%) rats than in male (31%) rats. Taken together, these results suggest that sex-related differences in NMDA-evoked masseter afferent discharge are due, at least in part, to an estrogen-mediated increase in expression of peripheral NMDA receptors by masseter ganglion neurons in female rats.  (+info)

Malignant hyperthermia. (80/310)

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a pharmacogenetic disorder of skeletal muscle that presents as a hypermetabolic response to potent volatile anesthetic gases such as halothane, sevoflurane, desflurane and the depolarizing muscle relaxant succinylcholine, and rarely, in humans, to stresses such as vigorous exercise and heat. The incidence of MH reactions ranges from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000-100,000 anesthesias. However, the prevalence of the genetic abnormalities may be as great as one in 3,000 individuals. MH affects humans, certain pig breeds, dogs, horses, and probably other animals. The classic signs of MH include hyperthermia to marked degree, tachycardia, tachypnea, increased carbon dioxide production, increased oxygen consumption, acidosis, muscle rigidity, and rhabdomyolysis, all related to a hypermetabolic response. The syndrome is likely to be fatal if untreated. Early recognition of the signs of MH, specifically elevation of end-expired carbon dioxide, provides the clinical diagnostic clues. In humans the syndrome is inherited in autosomal dominant pattern, while in pigs in autosomal recessive. The pathophysiologic changes of MH are due to uncontrolled rise of myoplasmic calcium, which activates biochemical processes related to muscle activation. Due to ATP depletion, the muscle membrane integrity is compromised leading to hyperkalemia and rhabdomyolysis. In most cases, the syndrome is caused by a defect in the ryanodine receptor. Over 90 mutations have been identified in the RYR-1 gene located on chromosome 19q13.1, and at least 25 are causal for MH. Diagnostic testing relies on assessing the in vitro contracture response of biopsied muscle to halothane, caffeine, and other drugs. Elucidation of the genetic changes has led to the introduction, on a limited basis so far, of genetic testing for susceptibility to MH. As the sensitivity of genetic testing increases, molecular genetics will be used for identifying those at risk with greater frequency. Dantrolene sodium is a specific antagonist of the pathophysiologic changes of MH and should be available wherever general anesthesia is administered. Thanks to the dramatic progress in understanding the clinical manifestation and pathophysiology of the syndrome, the mortality from MH has dropped from over 80% thirty years ago to less than 5%.  (+info)