MASTICATION & DYNAMICS OF OCCLUSION

Oral Physiology Dent 207

Sequence of food intake

Incision

Fragmentation of food by approximation (occlusion) Moving mandible against maxilla Rotation about the 2 TMJs

Transport

To & between PM & M teeth

Fragmentation of food by approximation (occlusion) Moving mandible against maxilla

Mastication

Transport preparatory to swallowing Deglutition (swallowing)

The Muscles of mastication

Attached to the mandible

Elevators Depressors

Only when the hyoid bone is fixed by infrahyoid muscles

Assisting muscles

Infrahyoid muscles (are they masticatory?) Muscles of the lips & cheeks Tongue muscles Head & neck muscles

When greater forces are needed Food capture & incision

Elevators muscles

Masseter Temporalis Medial pterygoid

Masseter

Quadrilateral Deep & superficial portions Superficial

Origin

Zigomatic process Anterior 2/3s of zygomatic arch Angle of the mandible Lower of ramus

Insertion

Deep

Origin

Medial surface of zygomatic arch Posterior 1/3 of lower border of zygomatic arch Lateral surface of coronoid Upper of ramus

Insertion

Temporalis

Large fan-shaped Temporal fossa central tendon coronoid Coronoid insertion

Medial surface Apex Anterior border or coronoid & ramus

Most posterior fibers retrude the mandible

Medial pterygoid

Origin

Lateral pterygoid plate medial surface Tubercle of palatine bone (pyramidal process)
Lower & posterior portions of the medial of ramus Angle of the mandible

Insertion

Masseter & m. pterygoid sling around the mandible

Lateral pterygoid

Not an elevator For lateral displacement & protrusion Origin

Upper head: infratemporal surface & crest of sphenoid Lower head: lateral pterygoid plate lateral surface Neck & disc

Insertion

Depressors

Suprahyoid

Digastric main depressor Mylohyoid Stylohyoid Geniohyoid Sternohyoid Thyrohyoid Omohyoid

Infrahyoid

Direction of forces by masticatory muscles

Different parts of a muscle produce different movements E.g.Temporalis

Anterior fibers elevation (vertical) Posterior fibers retrusion (horizontal)

Mandibular elevation a composite activity of a number of muscles

Characterization of masticatory muslces

Masseter & MP

Power production
Stabilizing of mandibular position Allowing masseter to take action Continuous workload at low forces with fatiguing Stabilizing the position of TMJ Slow fatigue resistance Brake the elevator activity as teeth are occluded Depression is faster than elevation

Temporalis

LP

Digastric

Sensory receptors in masticatory muscles

Control of muscle movement Unevenly distributed in the muscles of mastication Muscle spindles

Many in elevators and tongue muscles Few in depressors Not known if they exist in elevators Protect against overdevelopment of muscle tension Performed by PDL receptors limit force applied in mastication

Golgi tendon organs

Electromyography of masticatory muscles

Complex combinations of activation in specific movements M, TP & MP activated in a sequence during mandibular approximation Digastric bursts of activity during elevation to brake the rate of occlusion force Activity in M

begins late during elevation Ceases before the stroke is completed

SCM is active in clenching

Occlusion
The envelop of motion of the mandible Occlusion

Teeth contact position

Centric occlusion CO = intercuspal position ICP

Teeth in light contact

CO Intercuspal clenching position ICCP

Occlusion
In CO location of the head of condyle CO in complete dentures ICP & ICCP are static Median occlusal position

Light tooth contact position reached in a normal chewing cycle Very close to CO

Clench positions

ICCP Incisal clenching position Lateral clench extreme of lateral movement

Rest position

Teeth are held slightly separate Mandible is held by the sling of MP & M TMJ is not loaded Is M contracted? conflicting evidence Freeway space = interdental space = speech space

Teeth articulation

Contact between upper & lower jaws via teeth PDL receptors

Articular receptors Monitor load upon the articulating surfaces Pressure receptors found in apical area of PDL

Equivalent to Golgi tendon organs

Incision

Consists of

Protrusive movement

Condylar heads sliding forwards & downwards onto articular eminence

Depression in protruded position Hinge movement to elevate the body to edge-edge incisal position Protrusion LP Final elevation MP & M

Acting muscles

Maximum separation 3 cm Beyond that - dislocation

Dislocation of condyle

Excessive jaw separation During yawning reflex rather than during incision Condyle moving beyond articular eminence Reduction by downward & backward pressure in 3rd molar region on both sides

Incising resistant food

Mandible begins to retrude but stops as resistance is felt Teeth pressed into food Side-to-side oscillating retrusive slide Some lateral movement in protrusion (sawing motion) Food portion separates Mandible drops slightly to release the particle Lips guide it toward cheek teeth

Incising moderately resistant & soft food

Moderately resistant food

Mandible slides back to ICP Food portion separates in scissor-blade movement

Sheared by incisors Not cut through Food thins and parts

Soft food

Incision & head movement

More apparent in carnivores Incisors grip food Fracture by a downward jerk of the head

Food transport muscles

Tongue, lips & cheek muscles Pass food back & forth between the teeth

Extrinsic muscles of the tongue

Genioglossus Hyoglossus Chondroglossus Styloglossus Palatoglossus

Intrinsic tongue muscles

Superior longitudinal

Shorten the tongue & elevates its edges

Shorten the tongue & depresses its edges Elongate & narrow the tongue Broaden & flatten the tongue

Inferior longitudinal

Transverse

Vertical

Facial muscles involved in food transport

Buccinator

Pushes food back between occlusal surfaces Opposes outward pressure of the tongue Aids in transverse movement of food during mastication Storage of food during mastication less important in humans
Same functions as buccinator during mastication but anteriorly

Perioral muscles

Mastication

Is a complex process Movement of the body of the mandible

In a vertical plane In a horizontal plane

Movement of the tongue, lips & cheeks To control position and form of food
Food reduced in size by

Teeth Tongue against palate

Food mixed with saliva softened mass (bolus)

Precision rarity of biting tongue, lips or cheeks

Mastication

Masticatory stroke (chewing cycle) 3 phases

Jaw opening phase

Increasing separation of occlusal teeth Occlusal surfaces are brought together Food particles are crushed between occlusal surfaces

Rapid jaw closing phase

Slow jaw closing phase

Tooth contact phase power phase

Jaw opening phase

Sequence of muscular activation

Mylohyoid muscle Digastric

Hyoid bone needs to be fixed by infrahyoid muscles

Inferior head of LP depends on size & consistency of food Varies in one person Lower incisors move 10 15 mm downwards Slow opening followed by Rapid opening

Degree of separation

May be divided into 2 phases

Rapid jaw closing phase

Chewing stroke swings to the preferred chewing side Activity in LP ceases mandibular depression is zero Activity

Elevatory component - M, MP & TP Lateral deviation LP Contralateral MP contracts before ipsilateral

Rapid jaw closing phase

Working side condyle moves back horizontally Balancing condyle moves upwards & backwards Terminal position before slow closing phase

Both condyles are displaced laterally Working side condyle 0.25 mm below its original starting position Working side

Sequence of muscle activity

LP, TPa & TPp, deep M, MP, deep M

MP, deep M

Balancing side

Slow jaw closing phase

Rapid phase ends when resistance is detected between the teeth Slow closure follows Slide of mandibular teeth against cuspal inclines of maxillary teeth Three possible outcomes

Failure to penetrate food particle even after the power stroke Slow penetration of food particle & tooth contact Sudden breakage of food particle unloading reflex separation

Next cycle is initiated by stimulation of PDL receptors

Slow jaw closing & power stroke

Increasing force of contraction in all elevator muscles of both sides

TPa & TPp, Md & Ms, MP, LPu & LPl Working side condyle to its starting position

Power stroke returns

Upwards & medially

Balancing side condyle at original higher position on anterior slope of the fossa

Laterally

Control of mastication

Voluntary initiation Involuntary periods also occur

Reflex activity Can be overridden by voluntary control

Mastication is involuntarily initiated by stimulating the anterior sensorimotor cortex

Control of mastication

Central rhythm generator

Responsible for the automatic rhythmic activity Operate by neurons

Stimulating elevator muscles, & simultaneously Inhibiting active depressor muscles

Activity modified by sensory inputs from intraoral muscle & joint receptors

Control of mastication

Incision / food taken into the mouth Rhythmic pattern of mastication Receptors in PDL, muscles, joints Pressure & touch receptors in tongue & palate Monitor hardness of food & degree of comminution Feedback to

Motor neurons Rhythm generator Cerebellum

Adjust the activity of the muscles Soft food is chewed faster than hard food

Control of mastication

Cycle is longer at beginning of ingestion Different types of food fragment in different ways Food bolus is judges by oral receptors to be ready for swallowing

Control of mastication

Amount of chewing before swallowing

Characteristic of the individual Influenced by nature of food

Men > women Women > children Not markedly influenced by state of dentition Influenced by efficiency of food comminution

Number of strokes before swallowing

Bite force

Maximum force for typical European food 80 N 64 N in denture wearers Force measured by a gnathodynamometer Maximum atypical forces

440 N molar region 150 N canine region Males 520 N females 340 N

Western diet needs less force Force increased by training

Eskemo women chew sealskin to use in clothing Force can reach 1450 & 1700 N
Stimulation of pain receptors in PDL

Limit on force

Functions of chewing

No large particles damaging the esophageal or gastric mucosa Reduce amount of digestion in stomach Maintenance of oral mucosal health Psychological value

Fulfilling emotional needs (gum & tobacco chewing Satisfaction or calming effect

Masticatory reflexes

Modification of central rhythm

Jew jerk reflex Jaw opening reflex Unloading reflex

Jaw jerk reflex

Stretch reflex Similar to knee jerk reflex Induced by a sharp downward tap on the chin when the mandible is held loosely in the rest position Reflex generated by muscle spindles in M Contraction of masseter muscle Teeth are brought to occlusion No muscle spindles in depressors - no jerk reflex

Jaw opening reflex

Mechanical or electrical stimulation of

Lips, oral mucosa, teeth (PDL)

Inhibition of activity of elevators No simultaneous contraction of depressors Similar effect when a hard particle stops mandibular elevation Other animals contraction of depressors

Unloading reflex

Control of mastication a protective mechanism Sudden reduction in the resistance of a food particle Sudden inactivation of massetric muscle spindles Massetric activity is decreased Immediate stop in closure