Effect of Restoring Carious Teeth on Occlusal Bite Force in Children

Bite force is one of the components of masticatory function. Poor dental health impacts on quality of life as a whole due to a number of different elements, dental caries being one of them. Functional impairment is a negative sequel of caries. Aim: to assess the impact of comprehensive dental treatment on occlusal bite forces in children. Study design: The sample comprised of forty children of both genders, aged 6-9 years, with dental caries in primary molars. Occlusal bite force was recorded using a hydraulic occlusal force gauge, in the region of primary molars before and following the restorations in primary molars. The obtained data was subjected to statistical analysis. Results: Children with caries in all quadrants showed a significant increase in mean maximum bite force following restoration of their decayed teeth. In children with unilateral caries, either on right or left sides, a similar increase in occlusal bite force was seen in relation to the teeth that were restored. The contralateral sound teeth in these groups also showed an improvement in bite force. Conclusion: The mean occlusal bite force was seen to increase significantly following dental restoration of primary teeth.

bite force, dental caries, restoration

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