Abstract:This study was made to investigate the correlation between masticatory laterality, handedness and footedness in 1287 volunteers.The results obtained were as follows: 1. Right-biased chewing behaviour was slightly predominant in comparison with the other side.2. Handedness and footedness had no significant correlation with masticatory laterality. 3. It was showed that oral diseases and the treatments mainly motivated to be conscious of masticatory laterality. Dental caries, toothache and missing teeth tended to be determinant factors of acquired masticatory laterality.

The thermal therapy is one of the effective treatments of temporomandibular joint disorders. This study was made to investigate the effects of some thermal therapies (ultrasound, heating packs, microwave, far infra red ray and soft laser) on the deep temperature of the masseter muscle. Five males (from 24 to 28 yrs.) volunteered as normal subjects.