A novel miniature bite force recorder and its clinical application

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Dental Research
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Accurate measurement of bite force is crucial for various dental and biomechanical studies.
• Existing bite force recorders may have limitations in terms of size, portability, or suitability for large-scale group testing.
• Development of a compact and reliable device is needed for efficient data collection in diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a miniature bite force recorder for use in large study groups.
• To assess the accuracy and reliability of the recorder across a range of forces.
• To evaluate maximal bite force and endurance in young adults.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a miniature bite force recorder utilizing solid-state components, specifically a semiconductor as the sensory unit.
• Laboratory calibration involving application of loads from 10 to 1000 N to determine recorder accuracy.
• Clinical testing with 16 young adults (8 males, 8 females) performing maximal bite efforts between first molars.

Main Results:

• Laboratory calibration demonstrated an error of less than four percent for loads between 10 and 1000 N.
• The mean maximal bite force recorded in clinical tests was 500 N, with a range of 330 to 680 N.
• The number of maximum bites achievable varied from 5 to 27, with no statistically significant differences observed between sexes.

Conclusions:

• The developed miniature bite force recorder is accurate and reliable for measuring bite forces within the tested range.
• The device is suitable for large-scale group registrations due to its miniature size and ease of use.
• No significant sex-based differences were found in maximal bite force or bite endurance among the young adult participants.