title: [Changes in mastication efficiency before and after orthodontic treatment of adult skeletal angle III malocclusion].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the changes of mastication efficiency pre- and post-treatment in adult skeletal Angle III malocclusion, and to analyze the effect of malocclusion on mastication efficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Masticatory efficiency was analyzed in 60 patients with adult skeletal Angle III malocclusion pre- or post-orthodontic treatment and 30 adults with normal occlusion as controls. Masticatory efficiency was measured by means of a spectrophotometer using Gelatin. SPSS 10.0 software package was used for Student's t test and step-wise regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) Significant difference of masticatory efficiency was found among the three groups (P < 0.001). Multiple comparision showed significant difference among pre-treatment group, post-treatment group and normal controls (P < 0.05). (2) Step-wise regression results suggest that overjet and mandibular prognathism were closely related to masticatory efficiency in both pre- and post-treatment group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Orthodontic therapy can improve masticatory function in patients with malocclusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, College of Stomatology, Qingdao University, Qingdal 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Cun-hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Xin-qiang
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D065187:Controlled Before-After Studies; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D006801:Humans; D008310:Malocclusion; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008409:Mastication; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective