Impact of appliance therapy on orofacial muscle activity in mouth breathers: an electromyographic study.

This article investigates the impact of interceptive appliance therapy on orofacial muscle activity in children with a mouth breathing habit, using electromyography (EMG) to objectively measure muscle function. The study involved 36 children aged 6 to 12 years, divided equally into mouth breathers and nasal breathers, with EMG recordings taken from the buccinator, orbicularis oris, mentalis, sternocleidomastoid, and trapezius muscles before and after therapy. Results demonstrated that mouth breathers exhibited significantly higher muscle activity, indicating hyperactivity, which was notably reduced following the use of a custom-made oral screen appliance over 3 to 4 months. The findings suggest that surface EMG is a valuable diagnostic and biofeedback tool in pediatric interceptive orthodontics for assessing treatment efficacy and potentially preventing relapse. The study recommends further long-term research to evaluate the stability of muscle function changes post-therapy.