ANALYSIS OF MAXIMUM BITE FORCE CORRELATING TO FACIAL MORPHOLOGY AMONG EGYPTIAN DENTAL STUDENTS

INTRODUCTION: Occlusal forces are considered a vital aspect of any dental treatment plan. Maximum occlusal force is intended to be correlated with facial dimensions, gender, and race. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze facial morphology and maximum occlusal bite among Egyptian dental students, in addition to determining the difference between males and females. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Based on gender, 46 dental students were grouped into two distinct groups (23 males and 23 females). Each participant was photographed with a digital camera, and 2D Adobe Photoshop CS5 was utilized to calculate facial morphology according to their magnification ratio. Using a piezoresistive sensor (Flexiforce, Tekscan Inc., South Boston, USA), bite forces on both sides were measured three times. Maximum bite force and average occlusal force were recorded for both sides. RESULTS: The mean value of the maximum occlusal force was 445.2 ± 66.8 N in males and 354.7 ± 81.19 N in females, with a highly significant difference. The majority of facial morphology variables were statistically greater in males than females, which was clarified through the results of the research. However, the correlation between male facial morphology and the bite was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: In terms of bite forces and facial morphology, males have higher values for most of the parameters and a significant correlation between them.