To register mandibular movements in edentulous subjects, reference points are usually attached on the soft tissue over the chin. Therefore, it is extremely beneficial, in the clinic, to know the relationship of the movement between the skin and the mandibular bone. The purpose of this study was to detect the reference points on the facial skin that had the least discrepancy with the corresponding sites on the mandibular bone while in a rest position.
Methods: Nine retro-reflective markers were placed on the skin over the mandible (around the menton, the gonion, etc.) of 10 dentulous subjects. In addition, a marker frame, on which 3 markers were arranged spatially, was attached to the mandibular teeth of each subject, to provide a measured value of virtual points that were indicated by a stick on which 2 markers were aligned. Markers on the facial skin (S) were located and automatically tracked using six video cameras while the mandible was moved from centric occlusion to the rest position, repeatedly. Measurements of virtual points (V), which were calculated from displacement of the marker frame utilizing a motion capture system (Vicon 370, Oxford Metrics), were combined with the video data of the markers. The distance between centric occlusion and the rest position (Co-Rp) of S and V were compared.
Results: Except for the center of the menton (Me 2), statistically significant differences were observed between Co-Rp of S and V. These results suggest that Me 2 is the appropriate reference point on the facial skin to accurately measure free way space.
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