Bite force in Iraqi children in relation to teeth contact and mandibular incisors angulation

Abstract

Clinical and animal experiments have demonstrated the role of masticatory musclefunction in normal and abnormal dentofacial development. This study was aimed atobserving the role of antagonistic tooth contacts in the value of maximum bite forceamong a sample of Iraqi children and to seek the existence of a correlation betweenmaximum bite force and the angulations of the mandibular incisors.Maximum bite force was measured in 46 children (23 males and 23 females). Theteeth that occluded with its antagonist were counted clinically and the children werethen classified as those with full contact of opposing teeth and those with partialcontact. The angle of inclination of the mandibular incisors was obtained bycephalometric lateral views for each child.Maximum biting force was higher in children with full contact of teeth than inchildren with partial contact of teeth. The difference was statistically insignificant. Aclear correlation existed between maximum bite force and the angulations of themandibular incisors.Maximum biting force affected the inclination of the mandibular incisors.No difference was found in the value of maximum biting force between patientswith full contact of teeth and those with partial contacts.