COMPARISON OF MUSCLE-ACTIVITY BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL AND NEUROMUSCULAR SPLINTS

The muscle relaxation appliance (MRA) has been used in the treatment o f myofascial pain dysfunction (MPD) patients. The neuromuscular orthot ic is a version of the MRA and is constructed from a three-dimensional mandibular position when muscles are in a state of minimal electromyo graphic (EMG) activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate t he affect of two muscle relaxation appliances and a placebo (cotton ro lls) on EMG activity of the functional masseter and anterior temporali s muscles. A centric relation mandibular MRA and a neuromuscular ortho tic were constructed under controlled protocols for 12 women MPD patie nts with a mean age of 38 years. EMG measurements were taken during a 10-second clench of both appliance and placebo. No statistical differe nce was found between the centric relation mandibular MRA and neuromus cular orthotic. A statistically significant difference was found betwe en the mean EMG values of the placebo and two treatment appliances.