2003 Volume 66 Issue 1 Pages 86-96
We attempted to determine whether occlusal contacts of the maxillary premolars and molars changed with age. Silicone occlusal registration was taken for five subjects each in three age groups, young, middle-aged and elderly. The subjects had no restorations with full occlusal coverage. All readings were taken at 30% of maximum voluntary clenching in the intercuspal position. A non-contact three-dimensional form measuring device (Surflacer VMS-250 R, Unisn Inc., Osaka, Japan) digitized the silicone occlusal registration. The three-dimensional data were analyzed by CAD software (Surfacer, Imageware Inc., Michigan, USA) with a personal computer.
The occlusal surfaces of the maxillary premolars were divided into four regions : the buccal cusp, lingual cusp, mesial marginal ridge, and distal marginal ridge. The occlusal surfaces of the maxillary molars were divided into six regions : the mesiobuccal cusp, distobuccal cusp, mesiolingual cusp, distolingual cusp, mesial marginal ridge, and distal marginal ridge. We evaluated the occlusal contacts, which were defined as less than 60μm of silicone thickness between opposing teeth, and analyzed their number, rate, area, and orientation.
We found that occlusal contacts on the functional cusps were significantly different between the young and middle-aged, and between the young and elderly. Shika Igaku (J Osaka Odontol Soc) 2003 Mar; 66(1): 86-96.
