title: Higher Maximal Occlusal Bite Force in Endodontically Treated Teeth Versus Vital Contralateral Counterparts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Decreased sensitivity to occlusal load could lead to a greater risk of damage to endodontically treated teeth. Therefore, this study aims to test whether root canal treatment reduces the sensitivity of the treated teeth to occlusal load.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a comparative cross-sectional study of 124 patients who received root canal treatment. Treated teeth were compared with vital teeth on the contralateral side. After interviews with participants, their maximal bite forces (MBFs) of their root canal-treated and contralateral untreated teeth were measured using a digital bite fork force transducer. Data were analyzed by comparing the mean MBF of root canal-treated and control teeth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean MBF (± standard deviation) was 226.6 N (±168.7) for root canal-treated teeth and 207.93 N (±158.08) for control teeth. Root canal-treated teeth had a significantly higher difference in the mean MBF than the control group (P < .0001) using the paired sample t test. A univariate analysis test showed that differences in the MBF were affected by molar relationship, overbite, and the quality of root filling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The difference in the MBF was significantly higher in root canal-treated teeth, which is consistent with the function of dental pulp as a highly sensitive sensor. Therefore, the reduction in the sensitivity of teeth to an applied load after pulp removal may increase the risk of overloading. This may, in turn, increase the frequency of tooth damage after root canal treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. Electronic address: lawawdeh@just.edu.jo.
authors.forename: Lama
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Awawdeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hemaidat
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
authors.forename: Wael
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Al-Omari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001732:Bite Force; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D014070:Tooth / Q000502:physiology*; D019553:Tooth, Nonvital / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Occlusal bite force; root canal–treated teeth