The Relationship Between Occlusal Tactile Acuity, Bite Force and Tooth Wear

Tooth wear is a prevalent and multifactorial condition with consequences ranging from minor aesthetic concerns to substantial functional impairment.

The study aimed to evaluate the relationships between occlusal tactile acuity (OTA), maximum voluntary bite force and tooth wear in a clinical patient cohort.

Tooth wear, OTA and maximum bite force were assessed in 51 patients (29 women and 22 men; mean age 63 years, SD 17). Tooth wear in the anterior, canine and posterior regions was assessed with the Tooth Wear Evaluation System 2.0 in natural teeth and the Modified California Dental Association protocol in prosthetically restored teeth. Associations between OTA, bite force and tooth wear were assessed using Pearson's correlation and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. Significant variables were entered into multivariable linear regression models and adjusted for age and sex.

There was a moderate positive correlation between bite force and overall tooth wear (r = 0.38, p = 0.006) and a small negative correlation between OTA and posterior tooth wear (r = -0.28, p = 0.044). In the multivariable models, bite force showed a strong significant association with overall tooth wear also after adjustment for age (R² = 0.458, p < 0.001).

Bite force may be a clinically relevant factor associated with accumulated tooth wear, whereas OTA was not independently associated with tooth wear. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether bite force can predict tooth wear progression and whether more comprehensive assessments of occlusal loading can improve risk assessment in rehabilitated dentitions.