Bite force after temporomandibular joint surgery

Bitings were recorded bilaterally on 5 different submaximal and maximal force levels on 12 patients (7 women and 5 men) who had earlier been subjected to TMJ surgery (10 diskectomies and 2 condylectomies). The maximal bite force was relatively low for the recorded sample with mean values of 7.8 Kp and 8.3 Kp for operated and non-operated sides, respectively. The strongest forces were recorded after condylectomy. There was a wide range between the individual recordings on all levels and the differences increased with the force and were largest at maximal bite force level. No significant differences in bite force between operated and non-operated sides could be found for any of the force levels. The ability to discriminate between different force levels was better on the higher levels. The almost comparable results of the recordings of bite force on the operated and the non-operated sides may be an effect of functional interaction within the masticatory system and be an expression of the essentially improved function after the surgical treatment.