CONTRIBUTION OF PERIODONTAL RECEPTORS AND FOOD QUALITIES TO MASSETER MUSCLE INHIBITION IN MAN

Previous studies of human muscle inhibition during chewing have shown that many factors contribute to the incidence and intensity of this re flex but few studies have been in a physiological context. During the first crushing cycle of brittle foods ipsilateral masseter muscle EMG, mandibular movement and vibration were recorded simultaneously in fou r healthy dentate subjects. Experiments were repeated before and durin g anaesthesia of the cheek teeth on the chewing side. The results sugg est that vibration seems to be the most important factor in muscle inh ibition during food crushing; conversely periodontal sensation, mandib ular closing movement and the preload by the muscle at the onset of fo od fracture play a minor role.