Archives of oral biology
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Archives of oral biology · Feb 2015
Effect of experimental jaw muscle pain on dynamic bite force during mastication.
Knowledge about how Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) pain patients regulate masticatory function is still unclear. To investigate the effect of experimental jaw muscle pain as well as texture and size of food on mastication, twelve healthy participants (30.6±7.5 years old) participated in this study. Experimental pain was induced by an infusion of 0.5 M monosodium glutamate (MSG) with isotonic saline (IS) serving as a control. ⋯ On the other hand, the results suggested that the applied levels of pain may not change habitual masticatory movements. This study has revealed that a clinically relevant level of pain in the masseter muscle has only minor impact on the performance of mastication, probably due to a lack of exacerbation of pain during function. In future studies of jaw muscle function during painful conditions, it is important to include patient-based reports of functional limitation and emotional distress.