The relationship between the facial type and the state of chewing muscles in children with cerebral palsy

Relevance. The modern development of practical dentistry and the emergence of new techniques and methods of diagnosis and treatment determine the necessity and expediency of studying the anatomical features of the head, skull, structure of dental arches, and dental segments in general. Knowledge of the patterns and characteristics of the skull structure and their relationship with morphometric, clinical and functional parameters will allow the diagnosis of various forms of maxillofacial disorders based on comorbidity.Materials and methods. The study examined 30 children aged 6 to 12 y.o. to determine the relationship between the type of face and the state of the chewing muscles in children with cerebral palsy. Maxillofacial anthropometric measurements were made, e.g., the bitragional length (t-t) and the distance between the tragion and subnasale landmarks (t-sn); the gnathic index of the face was calculated, and the mouth opening range was measured. The surface electromyography determined the mean biopotential amplitude of the right and left proper masticatory and temporal muscles using the "bruxism" test.Results. The anthropometric measurement data indicate the prevalence of a brachygnathic facial type in children with cerebral palsy. The electromyographic study data evidence spasticity of the masticatory muscles.Conclusion. The obtained data indicate functional overload of the chewing muscles. Masticatory muscles' hypertonicity determined the brachygnathic facial type in children with cerebral palsy.