Occlusal force, maxillofacial morphology and masticatory muscles in mandibular protrusion patients

Abstract

Patients with jaw deformities generally have lower occlusal force and unstable occlusion. It is important to understand the relation among occlusion, maxillofacial morphology and muscle morphology before carrying out an operation. We examined how occlusal force, maxillofacial morphology and muscle morphology were related in 14 men with mandibular prognathism. Maximum occlusal force was measured using Dental Prescale, and parameters relating to mandibular morphology were measured using lateral cephalography. The mean volume and inclination of the bilateral masseter muscles were calculated using magnetic resonance imaging, and multiple correlation analysis was applied to the obtained data.
We found that occlusal force had a negative correlation with gonial angle and a positive correlation with inclination of the mandible, volume of masseter muscle, and posterior facial height (p<0.05). These results suggest that occlusal force is influenced by morphology of the mandible and the masseter muscle.