Changes in bite force and occlusal contact area after orthognathic surgery for correction of mandibular prognathism.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the long-term changes of bite force and occlusal contact area in patients with prognathous after orthognathic surgery with a newly developed pressure-sensitive sheet (Dental-Prescale; Fuji Photo Film Co).


METHODS
Fifty-seven patients with prognathous were examined. Bite force and occlusal contact area were measured just before operation and at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years after operation. Forty control subjects with normal occlusion were also measured.


RESULTS
The bite force and occlusal contact area of the patients were significantly greater than the preoperative level at 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years after operation. However, they were still significantly lower than the control subject level even at 3 years after operation.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that orthognathic surgery improves the bite force and occlusal contact area of patients with prognathous. However, at 3 years from the time of operation, patients had not reached control subject levels.
Ohkura
K
K
Department of Oral Restitution, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
Harada
K
K
Morishima
S
S
Enomoto
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001732:Bite Force; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007574:Jaw Relation Record / Q000295:instrumentation; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011312:Pressure; D011378:Prognathism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric