The relationship between oral tori and bite force

Abstract

Objective

The relationship between bite force and torus palatinus or mandibularis remains to be explained. The major aim of this study was to determine the correlation between bite force and oral tori.

Methods

The bite force of 345 patients was measured with a bite force recorder; impressions of the shape and size of the oral tori were taken on plaster models prior to orthodontic treatments. Subsequently, the relationship between oral tori and bite force was analyzed.

Results

The size, shape, and incidence of torus palatinus was not significantly correlated with bite force. However, the size of torus mandibularis increased significantly in proportion to the bite force (p = 0.020). The occurrence of different types of oral tori was not correlated with the bite force.

Discussion

The size of torus mandibularis provides information about bite force and can thus be used to clinically assess occlusal stress.

Keywords:

• Bite force
• bite force record
• oral tori
• torus palatinus
• torus mandibularis
• occlusal stress
• bruxism
• clenching

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Hee-sung Kim and Soo-Yeon Kim for their assistance with plaster model management.