title: Teeth grinding, oral motor performance and maximal bite force in cerebral palsy children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Identify whether the degree of oral motor performance is related to the presence of teeth grinding and maximal bite force values in children with spastic cerebral palsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-five spastic cerebral palsy children with and without teeth grinding, according to caregivers' reports, were submitted to a comprehensive oral motor performance evaluation during the feeding process using the Oral Motor Assessment Scale. Maximal bite force was measured using an electronic gnathodynamometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The teeth grinding group (n = 42) was younger, used anticonvulsant drugs, and was more frequently classified within the subfunctional oral motor performance category. Teeth grinding subfunctional spastic cerebral palsy children presented lower values of maximal bite force. The functional groups showing the presence or absence of teeth grinding presented higher values of maximal bite force compared with the subfunctional groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In spastic cerebral palsy children, teeth grinding is associated with the worse oral motor performance.
authors: School of Dentistry, Persons with Disability Division, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul-UNICSUL, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Maria Teresa
authors: MT
authors: Botti Rodrigues Santos
authors: Area of Pediatric, Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Comercial - SENAC, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Maria Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Duarte Ferreira
authors: School of Dentistry, Persons with Disability Division, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul-UNICSUL, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: de Oliveira Guaré
authors: Area Orofacial Pain, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Antonio Sergio
authors: AS
authors: Guimarães
authors: School of Dentistry, Persons with Disability Division, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul-UNICSUL, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Lira Ortega
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects; D001732:Bite Force; D001938:Brazil; D002012:Bruxism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: bruxism; cerebral palsy; maximal bite force; oral motor performance; spasticity