Functional mandibular deformation in edentulous subjects treated with dental implants.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to measure medial convergence, dorsoventral shear, and corporal rotation in the human mandible.


METHODS
Measurements were made using custom-fabricated strain gauge displacement transducers in 6 edentulous subjects who had been treated with mandibular endosseous dental implants. These were mounted on the most distal of the mandibular implants on each side, and measurements were made in real time using a multichannel analogue/digital converter and a personal computer for data storage and analysis. Measurements were made while the implants were loaded, and the subjects opened and closed their mouths and made lateral mandibular excursions. Medial convergence was measured as a linear change at the site of the most distal implant. Dorsoventral shear was expressed as a relative rotation of the right and left mandibular bodies projected onto the median sagittal plane, and corporal rotation was expressed as the relative rotation of the most distal implant.


RESULTS
Jaw deformation was found to occur immediately on opening and was related to closing forces and jaw position. Medial convergence of up to 41 microns was observed, with values for corporal rotation of up to 6 degrees and dorsoventral shear of up to 19 degrees.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrated clinically for the first time 3 different and simultaneous patterns of functional mandibular deformation.
Abdel-Latif
H H
HH
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Eastman Dental Institute, University College, University of London, 256 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8LD. hlatif@eastman.ucl.ac.uk
Hobkirk
J A
JA
Kelleway
J P
JP
D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D012399:Rotation; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D014159:Transducers
D015921:Dental Implants