Background: To evaluate the EMG activity and thickness of right masseter (RM), left masseter (LM), right temporal (RT) and left temporal (LT) muscles and bite force in children with temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
Material and methods: Forty five children (mean age 8.8 years; 22 boys and 23 girls) were examined on the basis of the RDC/TMD and the Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R) was used to determine the level of severity of the signs and symptoms of TMD, resulting in four groups: GI - without TMD (n=10); GII - with mild TMD (n=18), GIII: with moderate TMD (n=12) and GIV: with severe TMD (n=5). The data of electromyographic activity, maximum bite force and muscle thickness were tabulated and submitted to statistical analysis (ANOVA, P≤0.05).
Results: Children with TMD signs and symptoms had lower EMG activity than children of the control group. There was significant difference among the groups for the LT at rest (P=0.01), right (P=0.03) and left (P=0.05) laterality, and for the LM (P=0.01) and LT (P=0.03) muscles in maximum voluntary contraction. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups regarding muscle thickness. The bite force was lower in the TMD groups than children of the control group, with significant statistical difference for the right region (P=0.03).
Conclusions: The severity of TMD signs and symptoms affected the EMG activity and the molar bite force in children. However, structural changes in the thickness of masticatory muscles are not perceptible in children with TMD signs and symptoms.