Effect of temporomandibular joint sensory receptors on functional jaw movements following intra-articular anesthesia during gum-chewing

Basic patterns of masticatory rhythm are generated by the intrinsic neuronal network, so called masticatory central pattern generator, in the brain stem, and are fine tuned in response to both peripheral feedback and central afferent inputs. It is well known that peripheral receptors responsible for the regulation of masticatory rhythm are distributed in the periodontium, lips, oral mucosa, jaw muscles and temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and that they play an important role in adjusting the movements of the jaw. There are many reports about mechanoreceptors in periodontium, lips, oral mucosa and jaw muscles. However, the effect of mechanoreceptors in the TMJ on functional jaw movements has not been clarified clinically, even though there is abundant neurohistological evidence of TMJ innervation in animals and man. We attempted to establish the effect of TMJ sensory receptors on functional jaw movements in humans.