• Isbel Sandoval, Polyana Moura Ferreira, Fabian Obregon, Terry Whittle, and Greg M Murray.
• Jaw Function and Orofacial Pain Research Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney, Level 2, Westmead Hospital Centre for Oral Health, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145, Australia.
• J Oral Rehabil. 2018 Nov 1; 45 (11): 871-880.

AimTo determine if the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the left and right masseter and anterior temporalis muscles is altered by experimental right masseter muscle noxious stimulation during goal-directed isometric biting tasks in asymptomatic humans.MethodsIsometric biting tasks (slow and fast ramp biting tasks, 2-step biting task) were performed on an intraoral force transducer in 18 participants during the following blocks: baseline block, hypertonic saline infusion into the right masseter muscle (painful block) and isotonic saline infusion into the right masseter (control block). Bipolar surface electrodes recorded EMG activity from the bilateral masseter and anterior temporalis muscles. A 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) quantified pain intensity, and the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) were completed. Repeated measures ANOVA assessed the effects of pain on the force rates (N/s), force amplitudes (N) and the root mean square (RMS) jaw muscle EMG activity across blocks. Statistical significance accepted at P < 0.05.ResultsVAS scores were significantly (P < 0.001) higher during hypertonic than isotonic saline infusion blocks. There was no significant effect of pain on the force rates, or force levels or the RMS EMG activity of each masseter and anterior temporalis muscle.ConclusionThe findings suggest that experimentally induced right masseter muscle pain does not modify force or surface jaw muscle EMG activity during isometric biting tasks.© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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