Abstract
The purpose of this study was to answer the question of whether orthodontic treatment influenced chewing function. The chewing movements while chewing gum were recorded with a MKG and an NEC computer and were processed by an automatic masticatory movement analyzing software system before and after orthodontic treatment in 10 patients diagnosed as Angle Class I with crowding. Twenty subjects with functionally and morphologically normal occlusion were selected as a normal group. The following parameters in terms of the chewing path were considered: the opening distance, and the standard deviation (SD) /the opening distance (OD) values in lateral distances of opening and closing movements and in vertical distance. The data after treatment as compared with those before treatment showed: statistically significant (p<0.01) increments in opening distance, statistically significant (p<0.05) decrements of SD/OD values in lateral distance of opening movement and statistically significant (p<0.01) decrements of SD/OD values in vertical distance, resulting in changing toward the normal ranges of the normal group. The results of this study suggest that morphological correction due to orthodontic treatment significantly contributes to functional improvement of chewing movements in terms of chewing path.
