title: Using the T-scan III system to analyze occlusal function in mandibular reconstruction patients: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to analyze the post-rehabilitation occlusal function of subjects treated with complex mandibular resection and subsequently rehabilitated with fibula osteoseptocutaneous flaps, dental implants, and fixed prostheses utilizing the T-scan system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten mandibular complex resection cases that adopted fibula osteoseptocutaneous flaps, dental implants, and fixed prostheses to reconstruct occlusal function were analyzed. The mandibular reconstructions were divided into three groups based on size: full mandibular reconstructions, mandibular reconstructions larger than half of the arch, and mandibular reconstructions smaller than half of the arch. The T-scan III system was used to measure maximum occlusal force, occlusal time, anterior-posterior as well as left-right occlusal force asymmetries, and anterior-posterior as well as left-right asymmetrical locations of occlusal centers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with larger mandibular reconstructions and dental implants with fixed partial dentures demonstrated decreased average occlusal force; however, the difference did not reach the statistically significant level (p > 0.05). The most significant asymmetry of occlusal center location occurred among subjects with mandibular reconstructed areas larger than half of the mandibular arch.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comparison of the parameters of T-scan system used to analyze the occlusal function showed that the occlusal force was not an objective reference. Measurements of the location of the occlusal center appeared more repeatable, and were less affected by additional factors. The research results of this study showed that the size of a reconstruction did not affect the occlusal force after reconstruction and larger reconstructed areas did not decrease the average occlusal force. The most significant parameter was left and right asymmetry of the occlusion center (LROC) and was measured in subjects with reconstruction areas larger than half of the arch.
authors.forename: Chao-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Taipei, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yang-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yu-Fu
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Hsiang-Hsi
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001732:Bite Force; D015921:Dental Implants; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063175:Mandibular Reconstruction / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants