A study of bite force, part 1: Relationship to various physical characteristics

Area of Science:

• Dental Science
• Biomechanics
• Oral Health Research

Background:

• Accurate measurement of maximal bite force is crucial for understanding oral function and health.
• Previous measurement devices have limitations in comfort and accuracy, potentially affecting true maximal force registration.
• Investigating factors influencing bite force can provide insights into oral health and treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel device for measuring bilateral bite force in the molar/premolar region.
• To explore potential correlations between maximal bite force and various demographic, clinical, and symptomatic factors.
• To establish normative data for maximal bite force in a sample of dental students.

Main Methods:

• Development of a new elastic, conforming device for bite force measurement.
• Recruitment of 142 dental students for the study sample.
• Analysis of correlations between maximal bite force and gender, age, weight, body type, stature, orthodontic history, TMJ symptoms, and missing teeth.

Main Results:

• The mean maximum bite force was 738 N (SD 209 N).
• A statistically significant difference in mean maximum bite force was observed between genders.
• Low correlation coefficients were found for age, weight, stature, and body type, though scatterplots showed positive relationships.
• No significant correlations were found with orthodontic history, missing teeth, or TMJ symptoms.

Conclusions:

• The new device allows for comfortable and potentially more accurate measurement of maximal bite force.
• Gender is a significant factor influencing maximal bite force.
• Factors such as age, weight, stature, body type, orthodontic history, missing teeth, and TMJ symptoms were not found to be significantly correlated with maximal bite force in this sample.