Journal of oral rehabilitation最新文献

{"title":"Structural Changes in the Temporomandibular Joint After Botulinum Toxin Injection Into the Masseter Muscle in Experimentally Induced Osteoarthritis in Rats.","authors":"Ummugulsum Coskun, Nuray Yilmaz Altintas","doi":"10.1111/joor.14037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.14037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections into the masticatory muscles have been used as a treatment to improve symptoms related to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. However, its safety and long-term effects on TMJ structures remain inconclusive and are still under discussion.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the effects of BoNT injection into the masseter affect the mandibular condyle in a rat model of TMJ osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Sixteen male Wistar albino rats were used. The 32 TMJ joints were divided into four groups: (1) TMJ-OA with BoNT (OA + BTX), (2) TMJ-OA without BoNT (OA), (3) BoNT without TMJ-OA (BTX) and (4) control. TMJ-OA was induced by CFA injections. One week later, BoNT was administered to the masseter in the OA + BTX and BTX groups. Micro-CT imaging was performed 8 weeks later to assess the TMJ condyle.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis revealed significant differences in bone mineral density and microarchitectural changes between the BTX/control and the OA/OA-BTX groups, except for trabecular separation (p < 0.05). The OA and OA + BTX groups exhibited lower bone volume fraction and bone mineral density compared to the BTX and control groups. No significant differences were observed between the BTX and the groups without BoNT, suggesting that BoNT did not result in bone loss in healthy TMJs or in TMJ-OA cases.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>BoNT does not have a significant effect on healthy or existing degenerative conditions in the TMJ. Long-term experimental studies and clinical trials are needed to validate the safety of BoNT in managing TMJ-OA.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144159574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-Term Effects of an Oral Rehabilitation Programme on the Oral Function of Male Patients With or Without Tongue Cancer.","authors":"Pei-Chen Lin, Wen-Chen Wang, Yu-Hsun Kao, Koichiro Matsuo, Ying-Chu Lin, Hsiao-Ling Huang","doi":"10.1111/joor.14043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.14043","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Postoperatively, patients with oral cancer experience chewing difficulties due to oral function disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an oral rehabilitation programme for improving oral function in patients with or without tongue cancer.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We recruited patients with tongue cancer and those without tongue cancer in a medical centre. All patients underwent an oral rehabilitation programme, including oral hygiene and oral exercise training for 60 min by a dental hygienist, and they were reminded to perform these oral exercises during their monthly follow-up appointments. Data on oral diadochokinetic (DDK), tongue pressure and maximum mouth opening were collected at baseline and follow-ups. Linear regression with generalised estimating equations was performed to analyse oral functions between the tongue and non-tongue cancer groups over time.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients in the tongue cancer group showed greater improvement for/pa/syllables (β = 4.67, effect size (ES) = 0.83, p = 0.025), /ta/syllables (β = 3.67, ES = 0.90, p = 0.024), and/ka/syllables (β = 5.02, ES = 0.96, p = 0.007) in oral DDK at 6-month follow-up than the non-tongue cancer group. A lower anterior tongue pressure was observed in the tongue cancer group at the 6-month follow-up than in the non-tongue cancer group (β = -10.30, ES = 1.15, p = 0.003).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The oral rehabilitation programme was effective in improving the oral DDK rate after a 6-month intervention for patients with tongue cancer, while patients without tongue cancer exhibited a notable increase in tongue pressure.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144159550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of Novel Mandibular Advancement Device for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Analysing Force Distribution and Deformation Through Finite Element Study.","authors":"Supanigar Ruangsri, Kittipit Srisanoi, Chanissara Thanachaisakul, Pincha Santivivattanaphong, Yotsakorn Pratumwal, Poonsak Pisek","doi":"10.1111/joor.14029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.14029","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder involving repeated airway collapse during sleep. Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) serve as an effective alternative treatment for treating mild to moderate OSA, yet many commercially available devices remain unaffordable.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The study aimed to: (1) survey clinicians' and patients' preferences for MAD characteristics, (2) design a novel MAD (KKU-MAD) accordingly, and (3) analyse stress distribution and deformation in the MAD under four simulated scenarios.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Preferences were gathered from dental sleep clinicians and OSA patients via survey. A 3D skull model was constructed from dental CBCT data. KKU-MAD, fabricated from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), underwent finite element analysis (FEA) in scenarios involving mandibular protrusion, protrusion with clenching, protrusion with lateral grinding at 50% and 100% protrusion under maximal contraction of relevant muscles.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Survey results indicated clinicians preferred custom-made, duobloc, and titratable MADs, while patients prioritised comfort and affordability. FEA revealed consistent von Mises stress concentration at the medial aspect of the lateral fins and anterior corners of the protrusive buttons, peaking during lateral grinding (77.40 MPa) at 100% protrusion. Lower stress levels were recorded during protrusive clenching (61.62 MPa) and protrusion alone (49.46 MPa), with stress reductions of over 50% at 50% protrusion. Deformation was greatest at the lower anterior aspect of the mandibular splint during lateral grinding at 100% protrusion (0.68 mm). Despite elevated stress during complex movements, all values were below PMMA's tensile strength.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>KKU-MAD exhibits favourable biomechanical resilience against clenching and grinding, though further studies on effects to teeth, alveolar bone and temporomandibular joint are necessary before clinical trials in OSA patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144142756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of Resistance Training of Masticatory Muscles for Patients With Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Giacomo Asquini, Giulia Pisacane, Filippo Maselli, Firas Mourad, Paolo Bizzarri, Edoardo Balli, Cecilia Bagnoli, Anna Manzari, Marco Pernici, Andrea Giusti, Deborah Falla","doi":"10.1111/joor.14021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.14021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Evidence supports the use of exercise for patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). However, previous studies have mainly focused on combined treatment strategies or undefined exercise modalities.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Resistance Training (RT) as a standalone treatment for managing pain and improving neuromuscular performance in individuals with TMDs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This systematic review followed a pre-established and published protocol, which was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023476269). The literature search was conducted from March 1st 2024 to March 31st 2024 via the following electronic databases: MEDLINE (OVID interface), EMBASE (OVID interface), SCOPUS, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Randomised controlled trials or nonrandomised studies of interventions were included when they compared the effect of RT targeting masticatory muscles on pain, neuromuscular performance, and maximum mouth opening in patients with TMDs versus other treatment modalities. Two independent reviewers screened articles for inclusion, extracted data, assessed the risk of bias using the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised trials and evaluated the overall quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations approach.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From an initial 2177 articles, only three met the inclusion criteria and involved 108 participants. All the included studies demonstrated a decrease in pain intensity and an improvement in neuromuscular performance following RT, even if the superiority of RT over other interventions remains uncertain. However, the combination of moderate risk of bias, significant heterogeneity and small sample sizes resulted in a very low quality of evidence.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Clinicians managing patients with TMDs should consider RT as an effective, conservative option in conjunction with other treatment modalities. Future methodologically robust studies with large sample sizes and clearly defined exercise protocols are needed to investigate the role of RT for reducing TMD-related pain by increasing load tolerance and addressing potential bruxism-related muscle overload.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144142757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Masticatory Movement With Whey Peptide Supplementation Inhibits the Decrease of Masseter Weight in Protein Malnourished Rats.","authors":"Tomohiro Kagawa, Ippei Yamaoka","doi":"10.1111/joor.14040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.14040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The importance of continued mastication to maintain oral function has been suggested, but whether atrophy of the masseter muscle can be inhibited with a combination of mastication and protein intake is not known.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to clarify the molecular mechanism for inhibiting masseter atrophy, and the effects of mastication and protein intake were examined in a rat model of masseter muscle atrophy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Male Wistar rats were divided into a group given a solid purified diet with normal (20%) protein content and administered a sugar solution and groups given solid or powdered purified diets with low (2.5%) protein content, each of which was given a whey peptide solution or a sugar solution for 3 weeks. On the final day, the animals were sacrificed 1 h after being administered each of the solutions, and blood and masseter muscles were collected.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Masseter weight decreased in all of the groups given the low-protein diet compared with the normal protein content diet, but that decrease was inhibited the most in groups fed a solid diet and administered whey peptide. When animals were given a solid diet and administered whey peptide, the expression levels of ULK1 (Unc-51-like kinase 1) and phosphorylated ULK1 (Ser757) proteins, which are associated with protein degradation, were markedly elevated compared with other conditions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The decrease in masseter weight was inhibited in protein malnourished rats in which mastication was encouraged and whey peptide was administered. The results suggest that the molecular mechanism for this is attributable to the control of autophagy.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144127976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knockdown of the CALHM1 Gene Alleviates Allodynia in Rats With Trigeminal Neuralgia.","authors":"Xiaolei Zhu, Zhang Yi, Xuelian Li, Kaiming Duan, Dong Huang, Xuebin Yan","doi":"10.1111/joor.13980","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.13980","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The sudden onset of trigeminal neuralgia is very similar to epilepsy. CALHM1 is associated with the development of temporal lobe epilepsy. Therefore, does CALHM1 play an important role in the pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia? In this study, we explored the effects of pain behaviour in rats with trigeminal neuralgia by knocking down the Calcium homeostasis modulator 1 gene.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Rats were randomly divided into the Control group, Sham group and dION-CCI group. Animal models of trigeminal neuralgia were constructed by ligating the distal infraorbital nerve of rats with a chromic gut wire; mechanical pain thresholds and spontaneous pain behaviour were measured in rats. The trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis was taken on day 15 postoperatively, and expression of CALHM1 was detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. The shCALHM1 group used adeno-associated viral transfection to downregulate CALHM1 expression and detected the effect of CALHM1 knockdown by immunohistochemistry. Then the dION-CCI model was established after 3 weeks. The alterations in CALHM1 expression were identified using western blot, and the modifications in pain response in rats were observed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mRNA and protein expression of CALHM1 were significantly increased in the dION-CCI group. Knockdown of the CALHM1 gene attenuated the nociceptive allodynia in rats with trigeminal neuralgia.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This experiment demonstrated that the occurrence of trigeminal neuralgia may be associated with increased expression of CALHM1.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144127926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Clinical Features on Radiographic Progression of Degenerative Joint Disease: A Retrospective Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study.","authors":"Chu-Qiao Xiao, Yi-Chun Yang, Grace Paka Lubamba, Xiao-Yi Wang, Chun-Jie Li, Xin Xiong","doi":"10.1111/joor.14026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.14026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To retrospectively evaluate the association between clinical features and long-term radiographic progression in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) degenerative joint disease (DJD).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We included 198 TMJs from 104 patients diagnosed with DJD (119 TMJs) or indeterminate DJD (79 TMJs). These patients underwent an initial cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan and at least one follow-up CBCT scan at least 1 year later. Demographic information, oral behaviours, chief complaints and clinical examination findings were collected.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Radiographic progression was observed in 33% of DJD and 24% of indeterminate DJD cases during a median follow-up period of 680 days. Teeth clenching (HR = 3.58), disc displacement without reduction (HR = 2.49), limited mouth opening > 3 months (HR = 1.87), and maximum incisal opening < 35 mm (HR = 4.98) appeared to be significant risk factors for DJD progression. Angle Class II malocclusion (HR = 0.49) might be a protective factor for progression of DJD. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed area under the curve (AUC) values ranging from 0.74 to 0.88 over 3 years, with a survival tree model predicting DJD progression with 72% accuracy.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Clinical features significantly correlate with DJD progression. The multivariate and survival tree analyses provide moderate predictive accuracy, which could contribute to early identification and management of patients at risk. Further multicentre validation is still required.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144127951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Healthy Aging on Tongue-Jaw Kinematics During Feeding.","authors":"Shreyas Punacha, Kevin Huang, Fritzie I Arce-McShane","doi":"10.1111/joor.14035","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joor.14035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Several age-related oral health problems have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD). However, the distinction between oromotor dysfunctions in healthy aging and pathological aging remains unclear. This is partly because changes in the cortical and biomechanical (\"neuromechanical\") control of oromotor behaviour in healthy aging are poorly understood.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The aim of the study was to evaluate age-related changes in tongue and jaw kinematics during natural feeding behaviour in non-human primates.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We captured three-dimensional tongue and jaw movements in young and aged rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) using high-resolution biplanar videoradiography combined with X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology (XROMM). This approach allowed precise tracking of tongue and jaw kinematics during natural feeding behaviour. Tongue stereotypy and velocity were quantitatively assessed, along with the temporal coordination between tongue and jaw movements. Feeding performance was measured using frequency and duration of food manipulation, chewing, and swallowing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Older subjects exhibited reduced stereotypy in tongue movements during chews and greater lags in tongue movements relative to jaw movements compared to younger subjects.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings reveal age-related changes in tongue and jaw kinematics, which may indicate impaired tongue-jaw coordination. These results have important implications for the discovery of potential neuromechanical biomarkers for early diagnosis of AD.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144127916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interaction Between Age and Task Demand on Brain Connectivity Associated With Mastication.","authors":"Chia-Shu Lin, Wei-Chieh Kao","doi":"10.1111/joor.14036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.14036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sensorimotor processing is critical to the ageing brain and geriatric health. Masticatory performance (MP) is key to the systemic health of older individuals. Neuroimaging research has revealed a potential link between brain functional connectivity (FC) and MP. Using the masticatory perturbation task (MPT), we investigated the FC associated with MP under different conditions of task demand and age groups.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty-four older-age (OA, ≥ 65 years), 26 middle-aged (MA, between 40 and 64 years) and 42 younger-age (YA, < 40 years) participants were recruited for assessment of the MPT, and structural and resting-state (rs) functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Analyses of seed-based connectivity and FC networks were conducted to investigate the rs-FC associated with MP in the baseline condition (without perturbation) and the perturbation condition (with perturbation) of MPT.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>(A) In the baseline condition, OA participants with better MP showed higher rs-FC between the cerebellum and primary sensorimotor cortices. (B) In the perturbation condition, OA participants with better MP showed higher rs-FC between the middle frontal gyrus and the primary somatosensory cortex, and MA participants with better MP showed higher rs-FC between the supplementary motor area and the caudate nucleus. (C) The network analysis revealed that the pattern of rs-FC related to MP differed between age groups and task conditions. In the perturbation condition, YA participants with better MP showed higher rs-FC outside the sensorimotor network.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings provide novel evidence demonstrating an interaction between age and task demand on rs-FC associated with MP.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144127922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the Effect of Training on the Anterior Belly of the Digastric Muscle Using Ultrasound Elastography.","authors":"Ryosuke Fuma, Mai Ohkubo, Keina Miura, Tetsuya Sugiyama, Ryo Ishida","doi":"10.1111/joor.13988","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.13988","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) strengthens muscles and is used to treat dysphagia. Assessing NMES training at rest is preferable because patients may experience difficulty following instructions.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To determine whether muscle hardness, circumference and area changes can be measured using ultrasound real-time tissue elastography (RTE) after NMES of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle and whether these measurements can be an index for muscle activity during NMES.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Overall, 21 healthy adults were included in this study. Baseline hardness, circumference and area of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle at rest and with the mouth open, as well as the muscle activity of the submandibular surface layer when the mouth was open, were measured using RTE and surface electromyography. NMES was performed for 30 min weekly for 4 weeks, and similar measurements were taken at 2 and 4 weeks after the start of stimulation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Muscle hardness at rest and with the mouth open differed significantly between baseline and Week 4 (resting: p = 0.0048; mouth open: p = 0.034). The strain ratio at Weeks 2 and 4 correlated negatively with the maximum voluntary contraction (Week 2: r = -0.77, p < 0.01; Week 4: r = -0.564, p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between muscle hardness at rest and with the mouth open at Week 4 (r = 0.544, p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results indicate that muscle hardness at rest determined using RTE may be utilised to assess the influence of NMES. This measurement could serve as an objective indicator for implementing NMES.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144127943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}