Thermographic Study of the Orofacial Structures Involved in Clarinetists Musical Performance

Abstract

Introduction: Wind instrumentalists like clarinetists, may present a muscular hyperactivity on certain groups of the cranio-cervico-mandibular complex, due to their musical activity. Therefore, the use of infrared thermography can be used to assess and characterize the orofacial structures involved in clarinet performance. Aim: The objective of this study was to analyze and record the thermal patterns using the thermographic camera Flir® E60sc to evaluate anatomically and physiologically certain orofacial structures of the cranio-cervical-mandibular complex, such as the masticatory muscles and the region of the temporomandibular joint. Methodology: A sample of 30 clarinetists completed an individual questionnaire composed of two components (musical and clinical history of the participant), and were subjected to a clinical examination. Four thermographic images were taken of the cranio-cervical-mandibular complex at a rest position with frontal, right lateral, left lateral and anterior dentoalveolar components views. Each musician performed a piece of music for an uninterrupted period of 10 min. New thermographic images were captured with the same incidences, after the performance, respecting the same protocol. Results: There were statistically significant differences in the areas corresponding to the left temporal muscle, the orbicularis muscle (labial component), the left and right perioral teguments, as well as in the upper central incisors. There was also statistical evidence regarding the initial and final temperature asymmetries regarding temporal muscle and orbicular muscles (labial and marginal components). Conclusion: Infrared thermography has been shown to be an effective complementary diagnostic tool in the monitorization of the cranio-cervical-mandibular complex of clarinetists.

Prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in musicians: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Therefore, this objective hyperactivity of the facial muscles could be the pre‐disposing factor of TMD. Concomitantly, a recent study 36 verified, by means of infrared thermography, the musculoskeletal activity of thirty clarinet instrumentalists (wind instruments) before and after the performance of a piece, for an uninterrupted period of 10 minutes. After the activity, the author verified hyperactivity of oro‐facial muscles such as left temporal muscle, left and right perioral (orbicularis oris) muscle, and upper central incisors.…”

Thermography in complementary assessments of head and neck muscles: A scoping review

“…Room temperature was measured with digital thermometer/hygrometer 17,22,23,25 . Relative humidity was reportedly at 40%–60%, 15,22,23,30 71% 10 and 80%, 25 and room airflow was controlled 18,35 .…”

“…Authors investigated thermal symmetry or variation in normal individuals 17,23,31,33,35 and in subjects with TMD, 7,14,16,19,22,26,27,29,30,[34][35][36] MPS, 8,21,25,32 neck pain, 9,18,20,24,28 bruxism 15 and OSAS. 10 The following muscle regions were assessed: masseter , [14][15][16][17]19,[21][22][23][25][26][27]29,30,[32][33][34]36 temporal, [15][16][17]19,[21][22][23][25][26][27][29][30][31][32]35,…”

“…The first publications on infrared thermography to assess head and neck muscles are from 1971, 14 whereas there is a greater concentration of such studies in the last decade. 9,10,[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31] Studies were conducted in places distributed in South America (37%), Europe (37%), Asia (15%) and North America (11%).…”

Termografia Infravermelha na Odontologia

“…Ao longo dos anos, diversos dispositivos, como termômetros, termistores, termopares e sistemas de imagens de cristais líquidos, foram empregados para medir a temperatura corporal (MOULI et al, 2012). Alguns estudos utilizaram a distância de 1 metro entre a câmera e o paciente como parâmetro para aquisição das imagens térmicas (DIBAI-FILHO et al, 2014;RODRIGUES-BIGATON et al, 2014;WOZNIAK et al, 2015;BARROS et al, 2018). Outros autores realizaram as imagens à uma distância de 0,71m (HADDAD et al, 2014) e 0,80m (HADDAD et al, 2016), visando um enquadramento vertical limite, com mínimo de temperatura ambiente.…”