Dr. Adams' Alabama Headache Blog

A review by Forgione concluded that strength in muscles outside of the stomatognathic system may well be increased by a mandibular orthopedic repositioning appliance (MORA). These authors demonstrated isometricstrenth increase of the deltoid muscle with a MORA set to functional criterion. To determine whether this type of MORA affects muscle strength in extension and flexion in all the extremities, 20 females (age 30-50 yrs) were selected with clear loss of vertical support through loss of teeth or wear, no history of untreated chronic illness or recent trauma. All were found to be noticably stronger in deltoid isometric strength with teeth disoccluded than when bting in habitual. MORAs were constructed as described by Gelb and refined adjustment performed according to deltoid isometric testing. I counter-balanced, double blind procedure using the Standard Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction Testing apparatus produced 12 strength measures: Shoulder Extension and Flexion and Knee Extension and Flexion for both right and left. These strength measures were obtained under three conditions: Uabitual Bite, MORA, and Placebo. Data were analyzed by a treatment by Subject 2 were significantly less than MORA strength measures. These findings reinforce and extend earlier findings of bite related increased isometric strength in parts of the body other than the stomatognathis system.