Abstract:

Introduction: Maximal bite force and surface EMG (sEMG) are important determinants of the masticatory function and their
recording is essential for the estimation of the dental status.
Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the bite force and electromyographic activity of the
masticatory muscles and to estimate the possibility of using sEMG for the evaluation of the masticatory force.
Material and Methods: The study included 68 individuals of mean age 18.4 ± 6.1years: 33 male and 35 female. The bite force
and the sEMG were measured to all subjects simultaneously, consecutively on the right and the left side during maximal and
submaximal clenching. Statistical analysis was performed by IBM SPSS Statistics, version 23.0.
Results: Both EMG and maximal bite force values did not show significant difference on the left and right side. A strong positive
correlation was found between the bite force and the EMG activity of the temporal and masseter muscles on the right and left.
The correlation was stronger during submaximal bite (2/3) compared to maximal clenching both for the temporal and the
masseter muscles on both sides.
Conclusion: The strong positive correlation between the bite force and the EMG values of the masticatory muscles makes the
EMG a good alternative method for the estimation of the masticatory function.
Keywords: maximal bite force, surface electromyography, correlation, masticatory muscles