Abstract
To investigate the influence of occlusal interference on the central nervous system, power spectral analysis of electroencephalographic patterns was carried out under various occlusal conditions in 10 subjects with individual normal occlusion to whom vertical occlusal interference was experimentally applied to the lower first molars. From the cycle frequencies and power levels, the following results were obtained by analysis of variance.
1. Significant differences were demonstrated between the EEG cycle frequency during normal occlusion and that during interference of 50μm, and between the EEG cycle frequency during normal occlusion and that during interference of 100μm. However, when EEGs during interference of 50 and 100μm were compared, no significant difference was found in cycle frequencies.
2. When EEGs during occlusal interference on the left and right sides were compared, significant differences were found in EEG cycle frequencies and power levels between them.
3. At the occipital region, the EEG pattern showed no significant differences in cycle frequencies and power levels between the left and right under all experimental conditions.
4. Transition from α-wave dominance which appeared with mandible at a resting position, to β-wave dominance was most distinctly demonstrated by clenching.
