title: Biting Force and Muscle Activity in Implant-Supported Single Mandibular Overdentures Opposing Fixed Maxillary Dentition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to investigate the relation between biting force and masticatory muscle activity in patients treated by 3 modalities of single mandibular dentures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty implants were placed in 10 patients with completely edentulous mandibles. The study was divided into 3 treatment stages. Initially, each patient received a conventional mandibular complete denture. At the second stage, 4 mandibular implants were placed and the denture was refitted to their abutments. Third stage comprised connecting the denture to the implants through ball attachments. During each treatment stage, maximum biting force and muscle activity were measured during maximum clenching and chewing of soft and hard food.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biting force demonstrated a statistically significant increase by time for the 3 treatment stages. The highest muscle activity was recorded for the conventional denture followed by the implant-supported overdenture without attachment, whereas the lowest values were recorded for the implant-supported overdenture with attachment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Biting force was related mainly to the quality of denture support. Muscle activity was higher in patients with conventional denture than with implant-supported prostheses (with or without attachments).
authors.affiliation: *Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontic, Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen. †Professor, Department of Prosthodontic, Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. ‡Professor and Head of Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. §Lecturer, Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Wafaʼa R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Al-Magaleh
authors.forename: Nadia A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.forename: Ashraf A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Amer
authors.forename: Ann A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdelkader
authors.forename: Basma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bahgat
mesh_terms: D001732:Bite Force; D059605:Dental Implant-Abutment Design; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000502:physiology; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged