Journal of dental research
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The effects of prolonged tooth-clenching on masticatory muscle pain have not been fully elucidated. We hypothesized that late-onset soreness may develop depending on the clenching force. Ten pain-free females were asked to endure sustained clenching tasks up to exhaustion in randomized sequences of 7.5%, 10%, 15%, 25%, and 40% of maximum clenching force. ⋯ Masseter pressure-pain threshold decreased immediately after (-13.7%; p = 0.050) and one day after (-22.0%; p = 0.006) the 7.5% task. Temporalis pressure threshold decreased one day after the 7.5 % task (-14.6%; p = 0.003). It was concluded that prolonged low-level tooth-clenching in healthy young women induces a delayed soreness in the jaw elevator muscles.