title: The influence of gender and bruxism on human minimum interdental threshold ability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influence of gender and bruxism on the ability to discriminate minimum interdental threshold.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifteen individuals, representing both genders, bruxers and non-bruxers, with a mean age of 23.64 years, were selected for this study. For group allocation, every individual was subjected to a specific physical examination to detect bruxism (performed by three different examiners). Evaluation of the ability to discriminate minimum interdental threshold was performed using industrialized 0.010 mm-, 0.024 mm-, 0.030 mm-, 0.050 mm-, 0.080 mm- and 0.094 mm-thick aluminum foils that were placed between upper and lower premolars. Data were analyzed statistically by multiple linear regression analysis at 5% significance level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neither gender nor bruxism influenced the ability to discriminate minimum interdental threshold (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gender and the presence of bruxism do not play a role in the minimum interdental threshold.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil. patriciascalderon@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Patrícia dos Santos
authors.initials: Pdos S
authors.lastname: Calderon
authors.forename: Evelyn Mikaela
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kogawa
authors.forename: Lívia dos Santos
authors.initials: Ldos S
authors.lastname: Corpas
authors.forename: José Roberto Pereira
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lauris
authors.forename: Paulo César Rodrigues
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Conti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D009470:Muscle Spindles / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012737:Sex Factors; D020186:Sleep Bruxism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013236:Stereognosis / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult