Claire Genoveze Gauch¹, Selma Siéssere^1,2, Flavia Argentato Cecilio¹, Franciele Aparecida de Carvalho¹, Paula Napolitano Gonçalves¹, Ligia Napolitano Gonçalves¹, Rebeca Rezende³, Giovana Dornelas Azevedo Romero¹, Nicole Barbosa Bettiol¹, Isabela Hallak Regalo¹, Simone Cecilio Hallak Regalo^1,2 and Marcelo Palinkas^1,2

¹Department of Basic and Oral Biology , Ribeirão Preto School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Brazil
²National Institute and Technology - Translational Medicine (INCT.TM), Brazil
³Department of Physics, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

*Corresponding Author: Marcelo Palinkas, Department of Basic and Oral Biology , Ribeirão Preto School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, National Institute and Technology - Translational Medicine (INCT.TM), Brazil.

Received: May 09, 2025; Published: May 23, 2025

Abstract

Loss of intervertebral disc function is considered a degenerative disease that can affect the human body systems, especially orofacial anatomical structures. This observational study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of masticatory cycles through the electromyographic signal of the masseter and temporalis muscles and the amplitude of mandibular movements in subjects with degeneration of the intervertebral discs. Thirty-two subjects were divided into two groups: those with degeneration of the intervertebral discs (n = 16) and the control group (n = 16). The efficiency of masticatory cycles through the electromyographic signal of the masseter and temporalis muscles was analyzed during habitual (raisin and peanut) and non-habitual (parafilm) chewing using the linear envelope integral. The amplitudes of mandibular movements (maximum mouth opening, right laterality, left laterality, and protrusion) were measured using a digital caliper. A significant difference was observed between the groups (Student’s t-test, p < 0.05) in the habitual chewing of raisins in the right (p = 0.003) and left (p = 0.005) masseter muscles. The group with degeneration of the intervertebral discs showed greater electromyographic activity for the masseter and temporalis muscles. There was a significant difference in maximum mouth opening (p = 0.002). The group with intervertebral disc degeneration had a lower range of mandibular movements. The authors of this study suggest that subjects with degeneration of the intervertebral discs present deficient masticatory efficiency and a lower range of mandibular movements. Understanding the relationship between the stomatognathic system and degeneration of anatomical structures of the spine is relevant to health science, especially when considering diagnosis, prognosis, and orofacial treatment.

Keywords: Degenerative Disease; Intervertebral Disc; Electromyography; Masticatory Efficiency; Mandibular Movement; Masticatory Muscles

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Citation

Citation: Marcelo Palinkas., et al. “Involvement of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in Masticatory Efficiency and Range of Mandibular Movements". . Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 9.6 (2025): 14-21.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Marcelo Palinkas., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.