Duration of the Electromyographic Silent Period Following the Jaw-Jerk Reflex in Human Subjects

During voluntary jaw clenching, a sharp tap to the menton of the mandible resulted in a transitory silent period (pause) in the electromyographic activity of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles. Factors that could influence the duration of the silent period were studied, including direction and magnitude of the stimulus applied by the operator, the amount of muscular effort exerted by the subjects, and varying occlusal vertical dimensions. Decreased isometric muscle force resulted in statistically significant increases in silent period durations.