Reflex control of masticatory muscles in man

Abstract

An understanding of the functional connections between the jaw muscles and various receptor systems is necessary to elucidate the process of mastication and its underlying mechanisms. Unless the details of the neural mechanisms that control the motor functions of the masticatory system in health and disease are thoroughly understood, the diagnosis and treatment of masticatory dysfunctions and denture technology will remain at the present "symptomatic" state. Presently, our knowledge of mastication and its control by various receptors is patchy. Most of the work in this area comes from different animal species, using widely varying methodologies. For human work, no standardized methodology exists for investigating the connections of various afferents to the motoneurons that innervate the masticatory muscles. This review will bring together what is known about the basic wiring of the masticatory system and put forward a method for standardized investigation