Association between traumatic occlusal forces and periodontitis: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Periodontology
• Biomedical Sciences

Background:

• Traumatic occlusion is a condition where excessive occlusal forces negatively impact the periodontium.
• Occlusal adjustment is a common treatment for patients with periodontitis and traumatic occlusion.
• The association between occlusal forces and periodontal disease requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the evidence linking traumatic occlusal forces with periodontitis.
• To evaluate the impact of occlusal interventions on periodontal parameters in patients with periodontitis.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of clinical and observational studies was conducted.
• Focused questions addressed the effect of occlusal forces and interventions on periodontal parameters.
• Included studies comprised RCTs, cohort, retrospective, and cross-sectional designs.

Main Results:

• Cross-sectional studies indicated a significant association between occlusal discrepancies and increased probing depth and clinical attachment level.
• The effect magnitude was negligible when comparing groups with and without occlusal discrepancies.
• Intervention studies showed minimal improvement in periodontal parameters following occlusal adjustment.

Conclusions:

• Current human studies provide limited evidence for a strong association between traumatic occlusion and periodontitis.
• The implementation of occlusal adjustment to significantly improve periodontal conditions in patients with periodontitis is not strongly supported by available evidence.