Ultrasonographic evaluation of the masseter muscle in patients with temporomandibular joint degeneration

Sonographic elastography can be used to evaluate the hardness of muscle tissue through the application of compression. Strain elastography gauges hardness through the comparison of echo sets before and after compression. This study utilized ultrasonography to measure the thickness and hardness of the masseter muscle in individuals with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis. This study included 40 patients who presented with joint pain and were diagnosed with TMJ osteoarthritis via diagnostic cone-beam computed tomography, along with 40 healthy individuals. The thickness and hardness of each individual's masseter muscle were evaluated both at rest and at maximum bite using ultrasonography. The Mann-Whitney test and the chi-square test were employed for statistical analysis, with the significance level set at