Relationship between occlusal curvatures and bite force in humans

Purpose: It is clinically believed that humans with a broad and rounded dental arch accompanied by a shallow curve of Spee have good masticatory function. However, the relationship between them has not been elucidated fully. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine the relationship between occlusal curvatures and bite force. Materials and methods: Bite force was measured and analyzed in 20 young adults with healthy permanent dentition and normal stomatognathic function using a bite force recording system. Study models of the mandibular dental arch were scanned with CCD cameras, and X, Y and Z coordinates of the cusp tips of the molars were recorded. Their occlusal curvatures were analyzed using a three-dimensional measurement system. Results: Bite force showed significant positive correlations (0.52 < R < 0.57) with the radius of the anteroposterior occlusal arc of the molar region and the radii of the translateral occlusal arcs in the second premolar, first molar and second molar regions, and showed significant positive correlation (R = 0.71) with the radius of the occlusal sphere of the molar region. Conclusions: It was suggested that occlusal curvatures is related with the magnitude of bite force, and that the three dimensional spherical analysis of occlusal curvatures is useful predictor of the masticatory function. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd and the Japanese Orthodontic Society. All rights reserved.