1996 Volume 21 Issue 3 Pages 215-222
There are some reports that activity in the masticatory system affected the growing craniofacial skeleton. We speculated that biting efficiency affects not only cephalometric data but also mandibular bone mineral content (BMC). In this study, we evaluated the relationship between mandibular BMC and maximum bite force or occlusal contact area as a parameter of biting efficiency. The subjects consisted of 46 adults, with a mean age of 23 years and 7 months. Mandibular BMC was measured by photodensitometry using dental X-ray films. The sublect contrast of mandible was used as a parameter of BMC. Bite force and occlusal contact area were measured using pressure sensitive sheets. Anegative correlation was observed between subject contrast and bite force and between subject contrast and occlusal contact area, with a correlation coefficients of -0.378(p<0.01) and -0.401(p0.01) respectively. Thus, BMC increased with maximum bite force and occlusal contact area. It was indicated that masticatory activity appears to affect not only cephalometric data, as previously reported, but also bone strength.
