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The normal range of maximum mouth opening and its correlation with age, gender, height, and weight in Turkish

Mehmet Gökhan Demir1

  • 1Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical School, Department Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey.

Cranio : the Journal of Craniomandibular Practice
|June 20, 2023
PubMed

Insights

This study determined normal maximum mouth opening (MMO) values for healthy children aged 4-18. MMO increases with age, but shows no gender difference within age groups, establishing crucial pediatric dental reference data.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Human Anatomy

Background:

  • Establishing normative data for maximum mouth opening (MMO) is essential for diagnosing and managing various oral and maxillofacial conditions in children.
  • Previous studies have shown variations in MMO based on age and gender, highlighting the need for age-specific and gender-specific reference ranges.
  • Understanding typical MMO in healthy children provides a baseline for identifying potential abnormalities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure and establish the normal maximum mouth opening (MMO) range in a healthy pediatric population aged 4 to 18 years.
  • To analyze the relationship between MMO and age in children.
  • To investigate potential gender-based differences in MMO within specific age groups.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted with 674 healthy children aged 4 to 18 years.
  • Participants with dentofacial anomalies, temporomandibular joint disorders, infections, trauma, or rheumatic diseases were excluded.
  • Maximum mouth opening was measured using a vernier caliper, with demographic data including age, height, and weight recorded.

Main Results:

  • The mean MMO was calculated as 46.62 mm for boys and 45.96 mm for girls.
  • A positive correlation was observed between MMO and age, indicating larger mouth openings in older children.
  • No statistically significant difference in MMO was found between genders within the same age group.

Conclusions:

  • This study successfully determined normal MMO values for healthy children aged 4 to 18 years.
  • The findings underscore the importance of age-specific reference values for MMO assessment in pediatric populations.
  • Establishing normative data is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning in pediatric dentistry and oral surgery, considering potential societal variations.
Abstract

Keywords:
Maximum mouth openingchildrengenderheightweight

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