Giacomo Begnoni, Guy Willems, Sonia Coman, Julie De Vlieger, Isa den Boer, Lies Dekoster, Anke Vandeberg, Emilie Willems, Maria Cadenas de Llano-Pérula
Aim: To compare standardised surface electromyography (ssEMG) data and patient perception between two EMG standardisation methods for clenching (cotton rolls vs. wax pads) and swallowing (with vs. without an air-filled bulb). The third aim was to analyse ssEMG data during saliva swallowing to detect differences among masseter (MM), temporalis (TM) and submental (SM) activity.
Methods: Electromyographic data were obtained from 45 participants after clenching tests with wax pads and cotton rolls, and swallowing tests with and without an air bulb. Participants rated comfort, quickness, and stress of each modality on a 10-point Likert scale. TM, MM and SM activities were recorded using ssEMG indices. Clenching and swallowing data were compared using the Student's t-test. A one-way ANOVA was used to assess muscle roles during saliva swallowing. Perception scores were compared with the Student's t-test.
Results: Forty-five participants (37 women, mean age 22.75 ± 1.27 years) were included. No differences emerged between ssEMG indices during clenching and swallowing, except for the IMPACT index of MM (p < 0.001) and TM (p < 0.01), both lower with wax. No perception differences were found between wax and cotton roll clenching. Swallowing with an air bulb was rated as more comfortable (p < 0.001) and less stressful (p < 0.05). During swallowing, SM showed significantly higher activity and longer duration (p < 0.001) than TM and MM.
Conclusion: Both cotton rolls and wax pads are suitable for clenching standardisation, though wax may reduce TM and MM activity. For swallowing, the air-filled bulb does not affect ssEMG indices but is perceived as more comfortable and less stressful.
{"title":"Standardised Surface Electromyography During Clenching and Swallowing: Patient Perception and Comparison of Two Protocols: An Observational Study on a Healthy Population.","authors":"Giacomo Begnoni, Guy Willems, Sonia Coman, Julie De Vlieger, Isa den Boer, Lies Dekoster, Anke Vandeberg, Emilie Willems, Maria Cadenas de Llano-Pérula","doi":"10.1111/joor.70145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.70145","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>To compare standardised surface electromyography (ssEMG) data and patient perception between two EMG standardisation methods for clenching (cotton rolls vs. wax pads) and swallowing (with vs. without an air-filled bulb). The third aim was to analyse ssEMG data during saliva swallowing to detect differences among masseter (MM), temporalis (TM) and submental (SM) activity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Electromyographic data were obtained from 45 participants after clenching tests with wax pads and cotton rolls, and swallowing tests with and without an air bulb. Participants rated comfort, quickness, and stress of each modality on a 10-point Likert scale. TM, MM and SM activities were recorded using ssEMG indices. Clenching and swallowing data were compared using the Student's t-test. A one-way ANOVA was used to assess muscle roles during saliva swallowing. Perception scores were compared with the Student's t-test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Forty-five participants (37 women, mean age 22.75 ± 1.27 years) were included. No differences emerged between ssEMG indices during clenching and swallowing, except for the IMPACT index of MM (p < 0.001) and TM (p < 0.01), both lower with wax. No perception differences were found between wax and cotton roll clenching. Swallowing with an air bulb was rated as more comfortable (p < 0.001) and less stressful (p < 0.05). During swallowing, SM showed significantly higher activity and longer duration (p < 0.001) than TM and MM.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Both cotton rolls and wax pads are suitable for clenching standardisation, though wax may reduce TM and MM activity. For swallowing, the air-filled bulb does not affect ssEMG indices but is perceived as more comfortable and less stressful.</p>","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145998334","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}
Charis Van der Straeten, Jolien Verbeke, Kim Bettens, Guy De Pauw, Kristiane Van Lierde
<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to assess the short- and long-term effectiveness of two intensive Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) protocols on orofacial myofunctional status, orofacial strength and Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL). One protocol focused exclusively on breathing patterns and orofacial posture (Breathing and Posture Only group; OMT<sub>BPO</sub>), while the other also incorporated orofacial muscle strengthening and swallowing patterns (Breathing, Posture, Strength and Swallowing group; OMT<sub>BPSS</sub>). Additionally, adherence to home-based exercises and satisfaction with OMT intervention were evaluated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A convenience sample of 14 young adults was recruited and randomly allocated to one of the two therapy groups in this longitudinal, multigroup, pre-test-post-test study. Evaluations were conducted pre-OMT, immediately post-OMT, and at a 6-month follow-up. Each group (OMT<sub>BPO</sub> and OMT<sub>BPSS</sub>) consisted of 7 participants (mean age: 19.1 years, SD: 0.69 years; and 18.8 years, SD: 0.55 years, respectively). Besides a clinical assessment, orofacial myofunctional status was evaluated using the Orofacial Myofunctional Evaluation with Scores (OMES). Tongue and lip strength and endurance were measured with the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI), and OHRQoL was evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-NL14) questionnaire. Therapy satisfaction was evaluated using a custom questionnaire with visual analogue scales.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The linear mixed models analysis revealed no significant changes in OMES scores, orofacial strength and endurance or OHRQoL measures post-intervention or at follow-up. Generalised estimating equations analysis showed no immediate post-therapy improvements in tongue posture; however, both OMT<sub>BPO</sub> (p = 0.023) and OMT<sub>BPSS</sub> (p = 0.033) demonstrated significant improvements at follow-up. While descriptive analysis suggested improvements in swallowing patterns post-therapy and at follow-up, these changes were not statistically significant. The OMT<sub>BPSS</sub> group showed a significantly higher adherence rate than the OMT<sub>BPO</sub> group (p = 0.026). Although therapy satisfaction was higher in the OMT<sub>BPSS</sub> group, this difference was not statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Within the limitations of this study, including a small sample size of healthy young adults, the findings suggest that an intensive 5-week OMT intervention may be sufficient to train motor skills necessary for improving orofacial functions. As improvements in orofacial myofunctional behaviour were similar across both OMT interventions, the more extensive program as offered in the OMT<sub>BPSS</sub> group may not provide additional benefits regarding the orofacial myofunctional outcomes for this population. However, variation in therapy content may be important for promoting a
{"title":"The OMA-Project-Orofacial Myofunctional Behaviour in Adults: Effectiveness of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Protocols in Healthy Young Adults With Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders.","authors":"Charis Van der Straeten, Jolien Verbeke, Kim Bettens, Guy De Pauw, Kristiane Van Lierde","doi":"10.1111/joor.70150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.70150","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to assess the short- and long-term effectiveness of two intensive Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) protocols on orofacial myofunctional status, orofacial strength and Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL). One protocol focused exclusively on breathing patterns and orofacial posture (Breathing and Posture Only group; OMT<sub>BPO</sub>), while the other also incorporated orofacial muscle strengthening and swallowing patterns (Breathing, Posture, Strength and Swallowing group; OMT<sub>BPSS</sub>). Additionally, adherence to home-based exercises and satisfaction with OMT intervention were evaluated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A convenience sample of 14 young adults was recruited and randomly allocated to one of the two therapy groups in this longitudinal, multigroup, pre-test-post-test study. Evaluations were conducted pre-OMT, immediately post-OMT, and at a 6-month follow-up. Each group (OMT<sub>BPO</sub> and OMT<sub>BPSS</sub>) consisted of 7 participants (mean age: 19.1 years, SD: 0.69 years; and 18.8 years, SD: 0.55 years, respectively). Besides a clinical assessment, orofacial myofunctional status was evaluated using the Orofacial Myofunctional Evaluation with Scores (OMES). Tongue and lip strength and endurance were measured with the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI), and OHRQoL was evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-NL14) questionnaire. Therapy satisfaction was evaluated using a custom questionnaire with visual analogue scales.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The linear mixed models analysis revealed no significant changes in OMES scores, orofacial strength and endurance or OHRQoL measures post-intervention or at follow-up. Generalised estimating equations analysis showed no immediate post-therapy improvements in tongue posture; however, both OMT<sub>BPO</sub> (p = 0.023) and OMT<sub>BPSS</sub> (p = 0.033) demonstrated significant improvements at follow-up. While descriptive analysis suggested improvements in swallowing patterns post-therapy and at follow-up, these changes were not statistically significant. The OMT<sub>BPSS</sub> group showed a significantly higher adherence rate than the OMT<sub>BPO</sub> group (p = 0.026). Although therapy satisfaction was higher in the OMT<sub>BPSS</sub> group, this difference was not statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Within the limitations of this study, including a small sample size of healthy young adults, the findings suggest that an intensive 5-week OMT intervention may be sufficient to train motor skills necessary for improving orofacial functions. As improvements in orofacial myofunctional behaviour were similar across both OMT interventions, the more extensive program as offered in the OMT<sub>BPSS</sub> group may not provide additional benefits regarding the orofacial myofunctional outcomes for this population. However, variation in therapy content may be important for promoting a","PeriodicalId":16605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of oral rehabilitation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145989705","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}