Orofacial pain caused by temporomandibular joint disorders: an electromyographic analysis and its consequences on the body

The stomatognathic system is extremely important for the body, as it integrates functions such as chewing and swallowing. Furthermore, according to recent studies, there is a relationship between this system and brain safety, affecting areas of the hippocampus and cortex, which suggests that the loss of stomatognathic efficiency may contribute to cognitive decline. Thus, changes in the occlusal plane gain prominence, considering that they affect the chewing cycle. Therefore, the objective of this study is to correlate occlusal pathologies (overbite, temporomandibular dysfunction and absence of dental elements) and functions of the stomatognathic and cervical muscles through an electromyographic analysis of these individuals. The muscles were evaluated at the Dentistry Clinic at Faculdade Arnaldo in two different moments: before the clinical evaluation and 15 minutes after the initial assessment, in order to observe short-term changes in muscle activation patterns. The objective was to investigate the electromyographic behavior of masticatory and cervical muscles in a patient with temporomandibular dysfunction.