Association between buccal mucosa ridging and oral feature/symptom and its effects on occlusal function among dentate young adults in a cross-sectional study of Japan

ABSTRACT

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the distinction in oral features/symptoms and occlusal function between young dentate individuals with and without buccal mucosa ridging (BMR).

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 200 young adults. The outcome variable was BMR state. The predictor variables were oral features/symptoms (torus palatinus, torus mandibularis, temporomandibular joint noise, bruxism, tongue thrusting habit, number of teeth present, and occlusal vertical dimension) and oral function (occlusal force, occlusal contact area, occlusal pressure, tongue pressure). These variables were compared among participants with and without BMR using univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results: There were 119 participants with BMR and 81 without BMR. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that BMR was closely associated with bruxism, occlusal vertical dimension, and occlusal pressure.

Discussion: Oral/occlusal changes of increased bruxism, lower occlusal vertical dimension, and lower occlusal pressure constitute the major causes of BMR.

KEYWORDS:

• Buccal mucosa ridging
• bruxism
• occlusal vertical dimension
• occlusal pressure

Acknowledgments

This research was conducted without any special funding.

Authors’ Contributions

K. Morita contributed to study design, data acquisition, analysis and interpretation, and drafting of the manuscript; H. Tsuka contributed to study conception, data interpretation, and drafting of the manuscript; K. Kuremoto contributed to study design, data interpretation and drafting of the manuscript; H. Kimura, H. Kawano, M. Yokoi and K. Yasuda contributed to data analysis and interpretation; M. Yoshida contributed to study design, data acquisition, and critically revised the manuscript; K. Tsuga contributed to data analysis and interpretation and critically revised the manuscript.

Disclosure of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.