Carla Moreto Santos

Effect of Bolus Volume and Consistency on Swallowing Events Duration in Healthy Subjects

Background/Aims Swallowing is a complex function with the control of the swallowing center being located in the brain stem. Our aim in this investigation was to evaluate, in healthy volunteers, the oral and pharyngeal transit of 2 bolus volumes and 2 consistencies, and the influence of these boluses on the proportion of pharyngeal clearance duration/hyoid movement duration. Methods Videofluoroscopic evaluation of swallows was performed in 30 healthy volunteers, aged 29–77 years (mean 58 years). The subjects swallowed in duplicate of 5 mL and 10 mL of thick liquid barium and honey thick barium. We measured the duration of oral transit, pharyngeal transit, pharyngeal clearance, upper esophageal sphincter opening, hyoid movement, oropharyngeal transit, and the relation pharyngeal clearance duration/hyoid movement duration. Results A 10 mL bolus volume caused a longer UES opening duration than a 5 mL bolus volume, for both consistencies. The pharyngeal transit was longer for honey thick bolus consistency than for thick liquid, with both the volumes of 5 mL and 10 mL. For pharyngeal clearance, the difference was significant only with the 10 mL bolus volume. There was no difference associated with bolus volume or consistency in the relation between pharyngeal clearance duration and hyoid movement duration. Conclusions Increase in the swallowed bolus volume causes a longer UES opening duration and an increase in bolus consistency from thick liquid to honey thick causes a longer pharyngeal transit duration. The proportion between pharyngeal clearance and hyoid movement does not change with bolus volume or bolus consistency.

All on Four® fixed implant support rehabilitation: a masticatory function study.

BACKGROUND Fixed implant-supported prostheses according to All-on-Four® (Nobel Biocare, Goteborg, Sweden) principles have become an accepted treatment modality in totally edentulous patients, whereas the functional effect of this therapy is limited. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the muscular function of patients totally rehabilitated with All-on-Four. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study evaluated 63 patients. Twenty-one patients were successfully rehabilitated with maxillary and mandibular All-on-Four (no dropout implants, satisfactory aesthetic and function demands prosthesis), 21 patients were dentate, and 21 were rehabilitated with double complete dentures. Electromyography was carried out during clenching, nonhabitual and habitual chewing, and rest. All values were standardized as percentage of a maximum voluntary contraction. Data were analyzed by ANOVA to compare groups and paired t-test was used for comparison between sides within each group. RESULTS All groups presented symmetric muscular activity. The All-on-Four and dentate groups had a similar muscles surface electromyography (sEMG) contraction pattern, that is, a higher sEMG activity of masseter than temporalis muscles, differing (p ≤ .05) from those of denture group. Not one statistical difference was found between All-on-Four and dentate groups. CONCLUSION The muscular function similarity of All-on-Four and dentate patients shows that this treatment concept may be considered as a good option for oral rehabilitation in edentulous patients.

Masticatory muscle activity evaluation by electromyography in subjects with zygomatic implants

Background Zygomatic implants are an alternative treatment in the rehabilitation of atrophic maxilla to promote stability in the stomatognathic system. The aim of this study was to compare the electromyographic (EMG) activity of masseter and temporalis muscles in controls and in individuals with complete implant-supported dentures anchored in the zygomatic bone. Material and Methods Fifty-four volunteers of both genders (mean age 52.5 years) were selected and distributed into two groups: Individuals with zygomatic implant (ZIG; n=27) and fully dentate patients (CG; n=27). MyoSystem-BR1 was used to assess masseter and temporalis muscles EMG activity in different mandibular movements: protrusion, clenching, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) with Parafilm M®, right and left laterality and chewing (peanuts and raisins). Data was processed, normalized (MVC) and analyzed using the SPSS 21.0. Student t-test (P ≤ 0.05) was used for group comparison. Results The results were statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) for protrusion, clenching, right and left laterality and raisin chewing. For the mandibular posture conditions, the ZIG obtained higher EMG activity patterns when compared to CG. For the masticatory performance during chewing of peanuts and raisins, the ZIG showed higher EMG mean values when compared to CG. Conclusions The zygomatic implant promoted an active response of the muscle fibers (hyperactivity) during both mandibular posture and chewing conditions, probably due to the absence of periodontal receptors, which play a significant role for preparing a bolus for swallowing. Key words:Zygomatic implant, electromyography, masseter muscle, temporal muscle.

Using overdenture on implants and complete dentures: Using overdenture on implants and complete dentures: Using overdenture on implants and complete dentures: effects on postural maintenance of masticatory effects on postural maintenance of masticatory musculature musculature

Aims: Thanks to advances in osseointegration, oral rehabilitation specialists have had the option of using implants to improve retention and stability in treatments with complete dentures. This study compared the masticatory muscle electromyographic activity in implant-supported overdenture wearers, complete denture wearers and dentate individuals. The electromyographic activity of the right and left masseter muscles, and the right and left anterior temporalis muscles was analyzed in 10 implant-supported overdenture wearers (Group 1), 10 conventional complete denture wearers (Group 2), and 10 dentate individuals (Group 3), with mean age of 65 years, at rest and during postural position maintenance. The analysis was performed using the MyoSystem-Br1 electromyographer with differential active electrodes. Analysis of variance tests were carried out to compare the groups and muscles and revealed different electromyographic values that were statistically significant at 1% significance level. Duncan’s pos-hoc test showed that Group 3 presented the smallest values (pd”0.01). The electromyographic contraction pattern was similar between Groups 1 and 3 (p>0.01), and hyperactivity of anterior temporalis muscles was observed in Group 2 (pd”0.01). Conclusions: dentate individuals had smaller electromyographic values of masticatory muscles and the overdenture use caused electromyographic contraction patterns similar to those of dentate individuals in both positions.

The influence of maxillary and mandibular osteoporosis on maximal bite force and thickness of masticatory muscles

The aim of this study was to examine the bite force and masseter and temporal muscle thickness in individuals with maxillary and mandibular osteoporosis. 72 individuals were distributed into two equal groups: (1) facial osteoporosis and (2) healthy controls. Bite force on the right and left molar regions was recorded with a dynamometer and the highest value out of three measurements was recorded as the maximal bite force. Muscle thickness was measured with a SonoSite Titan ultrasound scanner. Ultrasound images were obtained of the bilateral masseter and temporal muscles at rest and at maximal voluntary contraction. The means of the measurements in each clinical condition were analyzed with multivariate statistical analysis (SPSS 19.0). Students t test indicated no significant difference for muscle thickness, but indicated significantly lower bite force values in the osteoporosis group (p>0.05). Lower bite force in individuals with facial bone loss demonstrates functional impact of osteoporosis on the complex physiological stomatognathic system.