Aims: Thanks to advances in osseointegration, oral rehabilitation
specialists have had the option of using implants to improve retention
and stability in treatments with complete dentures. This study compared
the masticatory muscle electromyographic activity in implant-supported
overdenture wearers, complete denture wearers and dentate individuals.
The electromyographic activity of the right and left masseter muscles,
and the right and left anterior temporalis muscles was analyzed in 10
implant-supported overdenture wearers (Group 1), 10 conventional
complete denture wearers (Group 2), and 10 dentate individuals (Group
3), with mean age of 65 years, at rest and during postural position
maintenance. The analysis was performed using the MyoSystem-Br1
electromyographer with differential active electrodes. Analysis of
variance tests were carried out to compare the groups and muscles and
revealed different electromyographic values that were statistically
significant at 1% significance level. Duncan s pos-hoc test showed
that Group 3 presented the smallest values (pd 0.01). The
electromyographic contraction pattern was similar between Groups 1 and
3 (p>0.01), and hyperactivity of anterior temporalis muscles was
observed in Group 2 (pd 0.01). Conclusions: dentate individuals
had smaller electromyographic values of masticatory muscles and the
overdenture use caused electromyographic contraction patterns similar
to those of dentate individuals in both positions
