• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.247-254
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• 2001

Silent period(SP) is transient stops of muscle activity that are induced by mechanical or electrical stimulus and the duration of silent period is a important parameter that have been associated with symptoms of masticatory dysfunction. Muscle fatigue is induced by sustained muscular contractions. It is associated with the external manifestations as the inability to maintain a desired force output, muscular tremor, and localized pain. Muscle fatigue is a parameter that have been measured or monitored the deterioration of a performance of muscles. On the study of relationship between SP and masticatory muscle fatigue, Nagasawa suggested that SP increases up to 3 min. from the beginning of clenching when the subjects performed sustained contractions at 50% maximum clenching level. In this paper, in order to evaluate a relationship between SP and muscle fatigue, 10 SPs per 1 minute are measured at 10%, 20%, 50% maximum clenching level. We used the median frequency in order to quantify the degree of muscle fatigue. However, the results shows that the duration of silent period was not significantly affected by differing levels of muscle fatigue. Therefore, we suggest that the SP is not increased or decreased as the results of muscle fatigue, also the origin of the SP generation mechanism is discussed.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2003

This paper proposes a model of SP(silent period) generation in masseter muscle by means of computer simulation. The model is based on the anatomical and physiological properties of trigeminal nervous system. In determining the SP generation pathway, evoked SPs of masseter muscle after mechanical stimulation to the chin are divided into normal and abnormal group. Normal SP is produced by the activation of mechanoreceptors in periodontal ligament. The activation of nociceptors contributes to the latter part of normal SP, abnormal extended SP is produced. As a result, the EMG signal generated by a proposed SP generation model is similar to both real EMG signal including normal SP and abnormal extended SP with TMJ patients. The result of this study have shown differences of SP generation mechanism between subjects both with and without TMJ dysfunction.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.541-549
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• 2001

The term 'silent period(SP)' refers to a transitory, relative or absolute decrease electromyography(EMG) activity, evoked in the midst of an otherwise sustained contraction. Masseteric SP is elicited by a tap on the chin during isometric contraction of masseter muscle. In this paper, a new EMG signal generation model including SP in masseter muscle is proposed. This work is based on the anatomical structure of trigeminal nerve system that related on temporomandibular joint(TMJ) dysfunction. And it was verified by comparing the real EMG signals including SP in masseter muscle to the simulated signals by the proposed model. Through this studies, it was shown that SP has relation to variable neurophysiological phenomena. A proposed model is based on the control system theory and DSP(Digital Signal Processing) theory, and was simulated using MATLAB simulink. As a result, the proposed SP model generated EMG signals which are similar to real EMG signal including normal SP and an abnormal extended SP. This model can be applied to the diagnosis of TMJ dysfunction and can effectively explain the origin of extended SP.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.560-567
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• 2003

EMG recordings of the electrical activity of muscle have proved to be a valuable tool in studying muscle function and reflex activity. SP(silent period) is elicited by a electrical stimulation on the chin during isometric contraction of jaw muscle. This paper proposes a model of the inhibitory reflex mechanism of jaw muscle after electrical stimulation. The SPs of jaw muscle after a electrical stimulation to the chin were divided into SP1 and SP2. SP1 is produced by the activation of periodontal receptors. The activation of nociceptors contributes to the SP2. As a result, the EMG signal generated by a proposed a model of inhibitory reflex mechanism is similar to real both EMG signal including SP1 and SP2. The present study have shown differences of SP1 and SP2 induced by inhibitory reflex mechanism.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.55-59
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• 1985

The measurement of the silent period of Masseter muscle is very useful diagnostic method of TMJ syndrome. In this paper, we design a very convenient and very low-priced medical instrument for dental research which does not need gain control to each patient for measuring the silent period and the data processing time is very short. The result of SP measurement using this instrument is 20-30ms in normal subjects and about 60ms in TMJ patient, and the data processing time is 0.5 second.