Department of Biomedical Technologies, School of Dentistry, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy.
Clin Oral Investig. 2023 Sep;27(9):5309-5316. doi: 10.1007/s00784-023-05150-8. Epub 2023 Jul 28.
The aim of this study is to assess the repeatability of a surface electromyographic (EMG) device (Teethan®, Teethan S.p.A., Milan, Italy), designed for the analysis of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles.
Tests were performed on a sample of 30 healthy fully dentate TMD-free individuals randomly selected. Each test consisted of two distinct recordings performed at 5-min intervals: (i) the patient is asked to clench with maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), with two cotton rolls interposed between the dental arches; (ii) the patient is asked to repeat the same clenching activity without the cotton rolls. The outcomes of the study were the EMG indices conceptualized by the manufacturing company, based on the differences between the two test conditions (i.e., clenching on cotton rolls and on dentition). Pairwise correlation analysis and ANOVA test were performed to assess the strength of correlation and the significance of differences between the results of the three trials.
Thirty TMD-free healthy individuals (20 females and 10 males; mean age 44 years, range 16-60 years) took part in the study. ANOVA test did not show any statistically significant difference between the three trials. The Global Index, which is the mean of the other EMG indices, showed the highest correlation values between the three trials, while some other indices showed a weak-to-medium correlation level. One out of five participants showed a coefficient of variation higher than 10%.
The statistical analysis showed that the indices provided by the device are quite repeatable. However, this does not necessarily imply a specific clinical application of the device, which was here used in fully controlled experimental conditions.
The clinical usefulness of the applied protocol remains questionable. Further studies should test the repeatability of EMG findings gathered with this device under various circumstances, in a more heterogeneous population.
本研究旨在评估一种用于分析咀嚼肌和颞肌前肌的表面肌电图（EMG）设备（Teethan®，Teethan S.p.A.，米兰，意大利）的可重复性。
在随机选择的 30 名健康、完全无牙且无 TMD 的个体中进行了测试。每次测试包括两次间隔 5 分钟的不同记录：（i）患者被要求用最大自主收缩（MVC）咬紧，在牙弓之间插入两个棉卷；（ii）患者被要求在没有棉卷的情况下重复相同的咬紧活动。研究结果是制造公司基于两种测试条件（即用棉卷咬紧和用牙咬紧）之间的差异提出的 EMG 指标。进行了两两相关分析和 ANOVA 检验，以评估相关性的强度和三次试验结果之间差异的显著性。
30 名无 TMD 的健康个体（20 名女性和 10 名男性；平均年龄 44 岁，范围 16-60 岁）参加了研究。ANOVA 检验未显示三次试验之间存在任何统计学差异。作为其他 EMG 指标平均值的总体指标显示了三次试验之间最高的相关性值，而其他一些指标则显示出弱到中等的相关性水平。五分之一的参与者的变异系数高于 10%。
统计分析表明，该设备提供的指标相当可重复。然而，这并不一定意味着该设备具有特定的临床应用，本研究中该设备在完全受控的实验条件下使用。
应用方案的临床实用性仍存在疑问。进一步的研究应该在更异质的人群中，测试在各种情况下使用该设备收集的肌电图结果的可重复性。
