Changes of bite force and occlusal contacts after stabilization splint therapy

Park, Hyung Soo; Kim, Kwang Won; Yoon, Young Jooh

Abstract

This study was done to identify the changes of bite force and occlusal contact between before and after stabilization splint therapy. 16 female patients, accepted for orthodontic treatment at the Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, Chosun University, were selected as the sample of this investigation. For comparisons, the samples of 16 were divided into just before stabilization splint, 1 month after stabilization splint, 2months after stabilization splint, and 3 months after stabilization splint and used the T-scan system to identify the bite force and occlusal contact changes for each group. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out ANOVA tests, and Turkey test using SPSS/PC(+). The results were as follows : 1. Bite force change from just before treatment to 1 month after stabilization splint therapy was statistical significantly decreased (P<0.05). 2. Bite force change from 1 to 3 months after stabilization splint therapy showed no statistical significance(p>0.05). 3. The changes of anterior occlusal contacts showed no statistical significance regardless of the wearing periods of stabilization splint (p>0.05). 4. The changes of posterior occlusal contacts from just before treatment to 1 month after stabilization splint therapy was statistical significantly decreased (p>0.05). 5. The changes of posterior occlusal contacts during 1 to 3 months after stabilization splint therapy showed no statistical significance (p>0.05). 6. Posterior teeth rather than anterior teeth were more influenced by the changes of the number of occlusal contacts. To sum up above results, we may respect to capturing and stabilizing centric relation position just 1 month after stabilization splint therapy.