The Pattern of Occlusal Contact in Lateral Mandibular Jaw Position

Objective: To determine the pattern of occlusal contacts in lateral jaw position of the mandibles in different of molar classification.

Study Design: Observational study.

Setting: Study carried out at Department of Prosthodontics; Institute of Dentistry, LUMHS, Jamshoro, Pakistan from June 2020 to December 2020.

Materials and Methods: Subjects having normal Angle’s class 1 occlusal alignment, both male and females aged between 20-30 years old and subjects having full dentition with the exception for third molars were included the study. While Subjects with severe attrition problems, Subjects were placed in a dental chair with the Frankfurt level parallel to the floor. The interocclusal contacts were recorded with 12μ thick shim stock in four lateral positions on both sides; 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 mm measured with Vernier caliper from the maximum intercuspation point. The shim stock was placed on the occlusal surface on the right side, and the subject was asked to close his/her mandible in the maximum intercuspation position. While a constant pulling force was maintained on the shim stock, the subject was then asked to perform a habitual gliding movement to the right. When the subject’s mandible was moved 0.5 mm right from the intercuspal position, the presence or absence of an occlusal contact were examined and recorded.

Results: From 81 patients, the minimum age was found 20 years and maximum age was 30 years with mean and standard deviation of the age was 25.40 ± 2.84 years. Males were 44/81 (54.3%) while females were 33/81 (45.7%). The different lateral positions on right side of tooth of patients at 0.5 mm were 225, 1 mm were 176, 2 mm were 161 and 3 mm were 140. The different lateral positions on left side of tooth of patients at 0.5mm were 197, 1 mm were 171, 2mm were 146 and 3 mm were 123.

Conclusion: In the current study, significant association was found between tooth number and first molar tooth lateral position on right side but there was no significant association for other positions and between tooth numbers and different lateral position on left side.