Assessment of maximum voluntary bite force in adults with normal occlusion and different types of malocclusions.

Aim: Maximum voluntary bite force (MVBF) was assessed in adults with class I normal occlusion and compared with different malocclusions.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and ten subjects in the age group of 17 to 25 years were classified into various groups. Thirty subjects with class I normal occlusion (Group A), 20 subjects with Angle's class I malocclusion (Group B), 20 subjects with skeletal class II malocclusion (Group C), 20 subjects with hypodivergent facial morphology (Group D) and 20 subjects with hyperdivergent facial morphology (Group E). MVBF was measured with a bite force meter at the first premolar and first molar region bilaterally. The values were recorded and statistically analyzed.

Results: Mean MVBF value in each of the groups in the molar and first premolar region were found to be 601.83N ± 60.80, 392N ± 31.43 (group A), 592.60N ± 37.66, 378.90N ± 23.00 (group B), 586.60N ± 49.26, 377N ± 29.38 (group C), 771.50N ± 27.24, 500.60N ± 18.25 (group D), 283.85N ± 26.41, 283.85N ± 26.41 (group E). Student paired t-test was done to analyze the difference between two groups and considered as significant at a p-value of < 0.05. Significant difference was found between group A and D and group A and E with a p-value of <0.0001. No significant difference was observed between group A and group B (p = 0.5481 and 0.1148) and group A and group C (p = 0.3551 and 0.0949). ANOVA showed that there was a significant difference among groups A, D and E. No significant difference was found among groups A, B and C. Males had a higher value than females.

Conclusion: Sagittal morphology does not significantly affect the MVBF value whereas there is a significant correlation with vertical morphology.

Clinical Significance: Assessment of maximum voluntary bite force (MVBF) is a chairside procedure to evaluate masticatory muscle activity based on which treatment planning and mechanics can be known.