Migraine and masticatory muscle volume, bite force, and craniofacial morphology

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the masticatory muscle vol ume, bite force, and craniofacial morphology of migrainous subjects with ag e- and sex-matched controls. Ten adult dentate migraineurs were matched wit h 10 dentate age- and sex-matched controls, The groups consisted of nine wo men and one man (mean age, 43 years; range, 29 to 51 years). Volumetric ana lysis of the masseter and medial pterygoid muscles was performed using magn etic resonance imaging. Craniofacial morphology was analyzed from standard cephalometric radiographs using 30 angular and linear variables, Recordings of bite force were made using a strain gauge transducer, There was a signi ficant difference in the volume of both masseter and medial pterygoid muscl es between the two subject groups (P<.0001), with the muscles of the migrai neurs nearly 70% larger. The migraineurs recorded significantly higher maxi mal bite forces (P<.0001) than did the controls, No significant differences for any craniofacial morphological measurement were demonstrated between t he two groups. It was concluded that the migraineurs had larger masseter an d medial pterygoid muscle volumes, and greater bite forces than the control s, which could not be explained by any change in craniofacial morphology.