An electrognathographic study of aspects of 'deprogramming' of human jaw muscles

Summary Three‐dimensional electrognathography of an incisor point was used to detect peripheral correlates of deprogramming of the jaw elevator muscles. Putative deprogramming was attempted through the clinically recommended use of a leaf gauge, placed for 10–15 min between the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth and disoccluding the posterior teeth by about 2 mm. Studied mandibular displacements were those that occurred during voluntary elevation of the mandible from the postural to the intercuspal position. Use of the leaf gauge did not affect the displacement patterns. Within a freeway space of about 0.2 mm3, the incisor point moved about 2 mm vertically, about 1 mm sagittally, and about 0.2 mm laterally.