Accuracy of Surface Electromyography in the Diagnosis of Pain-Related Temporomandibular Disorders in Children with Awake Bruxism

The study assessed masticatory muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity in both children diagnosed with pain-related temporomandibular disorders (TMD-P) and awake bruxism (AB) and in children without TMD, as well as the diagnostic value of surface electromyography (sEMG) in diagnosing TMD-P in subjects with AB. After evaluation based on the Axis I of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD), 30 children diagnosed with myofascial pain were included in the myofascial pain group and 30 children without TMD diagnosis comprised the control group (mean age of 9.49 +/- 1.34 years). The activity of the anterior temporal (TA) and masseter (MM) muscle was assessed bilaterally using a DAB-Bluetooth device (zebris Medical GmBH, Germany) at rest and during maximum voluntary clenching (MVC). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the normalized sEMG data. Statistically significant intergroup differences were observed in TA and MM muscle EMG activity at rest and during MVC. Moderate degree of sEMG accuracy in discriminating between TMD-P and non-TMD children was observed for TA(mean), left MM, and MMmean EMG muscle activity at rest. sEMG can be a useful tool in assessing myofascial TMD pain in patients with AB.

Automated summary

This study assessed masticatory muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity in children diagnosed with pain-related temporomandibular disorders (TMD-P) and awake bruxism (AB), as well as the diagnostic value of surface electromyography (sEMG) in diagnosing TMD-P in subjects with AB. The results showed statistically significant intergroup differences in the activity of the anterior temporal (TA) and masseter (MM) muscles at rest and during maximum voluntary clenching (MVC). sEMG demonstrated moderate accuracy in discriminating between TMD-P and non-TMD children.