Abstract
Accuracy in observation of opening and closing movement by clinical researchers depends very much on the recorder's observational abilities. The purpose of this research is to improve the quality and accuracy of such observation.
To this end the opening and closing movements of the mouth of the same subject were recorded in the following three ways and compared :
1. by Gnathohexagraph JM 1000® (manufactured by Ono Sokki Co.) . We called this ME Group.
2. 16 dentists with no previous experience of using an ME machine for measurement : A Group.
3.4 dentists who had previously used an ME machine : B Group.
There was only a small divergence between B Group's and ME Group's average figures. However, there was a big difference between A Group's average figure and those of ME Group and B Group. Therefore, in order to observe loci of movement with observational accuracy comparable to that of an ME machine, we suggest it is necessary to have a high degree of competence with ME machines, and that this can only be achieved through practice.
