Assessment of masseter muscle thickness by ultrasonography according to anxiety levels

Temporomandibular joint disorders can significantly reduce the quality of life of individuals by causing various problems in masticatory muscles and joint structures. This condition can directly affect the function and structure of the masseter muscle, causing significant changes in muscle size. Today's world and business life have many negative effects on individuals and anxiety is the most important one. Stressful daily living conditions and challenging work environments contribute to the development of anxiety. In individuals with high levels of anxiety, changes in the size of the masseter muscle have been observed. It is believed that anxiety tends to keep the chewing muscles in a constant state of tension, which may result in muscle hypertrophy. In the literature, significant increases in masseter muscle thickness have been reported in patients with high levels of anxiety and these changes may worsen the symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders. In the examination of the masseter muscle, although there are various imaging techniques available, ultrasonography is currently the most effective method. Ultrasonography provides a detailed examination of the masseter muscle, aiding in the determination of muscle morphology and measurement of muscle size. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of anxiety levels and the severity of temporomandibular joint disorders on masseter muscle size in patients with unilateral disk displacement using ultrasonography. The 10 questions from the Fonseca Anamnestic Questionnaire and the 21 questions from the Beck Anxiety Inventory were answered by patients with unilateral disk displacement. Based on the responses, the severity of temporomandibular joint disorders and anxiety were determined and categorized into groups. Measurements of masseter muscle thickness, length and size in both resting and intercuspal positions were obtained using ultrasonography for all patients. According to the results, in patients with unilateral disc displacement, the thickness value of the masseter muscle on the side with disc displacement were statistically significantly higher than those on the normal side (p<0.05). In patients with normal levels of anxiety, the thickness of the masseter muscle on the side without disc displacement was statistically significantly lower compared to patients with mild and moderate levels of anxiety (p>0.05), there was no statistically significant difference in the masseter muscle values on the side with disc displacement (p>0.05).