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Abstract
This cross-sectional study tested the reproducibility of a simple button-pulling system for measuring lip-closing strength in normal preschool children and compared their strength to that of normal adults. The sample consisted of 348 preschool children and 123 adults. Lip-closing strength was measured by inserting a button, fastened to a piece of string, into the vestibule between the incisors and lips with minimal mouth opening. The string was attached to a digital tension gauge and was pulled parallel to the floor. Maximum tension, with three repetitions, was recorded at the instant that the button was pulled out of the mouth. Multilevel statistical models were used to evaluate any differences in contractive muscle strength between age groups and between the genders. The strength in children increased significantly from three years to five years (p<0.01). Gender-related differences were found in adults but not in preschool children. Inter-individual variation at each age was larger than intra-individual variation. Measurement of lip-closing strength by button pulling is highly reproducible in children and has potential clinical and research applications.
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Notes on contributors
Atsushi Fukami
Dr. Atsushi Fukami received his D.D.S. degree from the School of Life Dentistry at Niigata, Nippon Dental University Japan in 2003. He fulfilled his internship at the Kagoshima University Hospital for two years. He has subsequently worked for the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth, and Development, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Dental Sciences since 2008. His research interest is development of mandibular function in children with primary dentition.
Issei Saitoh
Dr. Issei Saitoh received his D.D.S. degree from the Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Japan in 1999 and a Ph.D. at the same university in 2003. He received the Award for Young Scientist from the Japanese Society of Stomatognathic Function in 2004 and from the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry in 2008. Currently, he is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences. His research interest is in the development of oral function in children with primary dentition.
Emi Inada
Dr. Emi Inada received her D.D.S. degree from the Faculty of Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Japan in 2004. She fulfilled her internship at the Kagoshima University Hospital for two years. She subsequently worked at the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Dental Sciences from 2006. She received her Ph.D. degree in 2009 from the same university.
Takeshi Oku
Dr. Takeshi Oku received his D.D.S. degree from the Faculty of Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University in 1986 and a Ph.D. at the same university in 1996. He subsequently worked for the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Kagoshima University as an assistant professor from 1987 to 1997 and as a lecturer from 1997 to 1998. He practiced at the Oku Pediatric and Orthodontic Dental Clinic, Kagoshima City in 1999. He received a Certified Pediatric dentist from the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry in 2005.
Yoko Iwase
Dr. Yoko Iwase received her D.D.S. degree in 1997 from the Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu University. She subsequently worked for the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Dental Sciences from 1997 to 2001. Then she received her Ph.D. at the same university and Certified Pedodontist from the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry in 2003. Currently, she is working as an assistant professor in the Department of Dental Anesthesia, Kagoshima University Medical and Dental Hospital. Her research interest is occlusal contacts during masticatory movement in children with primary dentition.
Yoshihiko Takemoto
Dr. Yoshihiko Takemoto received his D.D.S. degree from the Faculty of Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Japan in 2005. He fulfilled his internship at the Kagoshima University Hospital for two years. Since 2007, he has worked at the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Dental Sciences.
Chiaki Yamada
Dr. Chiaki Yamada received her D.D.S. degree from the Faculty of Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University in 2006. She fulfilled her internship at the Kagoshima University Hospital for one year. Since 2007, she has worked at the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Dental Sciences.
Tomonori Iwasaki
Dr. Tomonori Iwasaki received his D.D.S. degree from the Faculty of Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University in 1990 and a Ph.D. at the same university in 2004. He subsequently worked for the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Kagoshima University Hospital as an assistant professor from 1994. Currently, he is working as a lecturer in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry , Kagoshima University Medical and Dental Hospital.
Hiroko Hasegawa
Dr. Hiroko Hasegawa received her D.D.S. degree from the School of Dentistry, Nagasaki University, Japan in 1994. She fulfilled her internship at the Kagoshima University Hospital for two years. Currently, she is working as an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Kagoshima University Medical and Dental Hospital.
Naoko Kubota
Dr. Naoko Kubota received her D.D.S. degree from the Faculty of Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Japan in 2006. She fulfilled her internship at the Kagoshima University Hospital for two years. Since 2006, she has worked at the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Dental Sciences. She received her Ph.D. degree in 2010 from the same university.
Tomoya Murakami
Dr. Tomoya Murakami received his D.D.S. degree from the Faculty of Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Japan in 2010. He is now an internal dentist at the Department of Dental and Oral Surgery, St. Mary’s Hospital, Kurume City.
Kanami Harada
Dr. Kanami Harada received her D.D.S. degree from the Faculty of Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Japan in 2009. She fulfilled her internship at the Kagoshima University Hospital for one year. Since 2010, she has worked at the Kojima Dental Clinic at Nagoya City.
Nishi Megumi
Dr. Megumi Nishi received her D.D.S. degree in 1992 from the Faculty of Dentistry at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. After working at the Kyushu University Hospital for five years, she joined the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Dental Science in 1997. She received her Ph.D. degree in 2001 from the same university and received a certification in pedodontics from the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry that same year.
Kinjo Sachiko
Dr. Sachiko Kinjo received her D.D.S. degree from Faculty of Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Japan in 1995. She fulfilled her internship at the Kagoshima University Hospital for two years. She worked as an assistant professor in the Kagoshima University Hospital from 1998 to 2006. Since 2007, she has worked at the Kinjo Dental Clinic.
Igata Noriko
Dr. Noriko Igata received her D.D.S. degree from Faculty of Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Japan in 1998. She fulfilled her internship at the Kagoshima University Hospital for two years. She subsequently worked at the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Dental Sciences from 2000. Currently, she is working at Oku Pediatric and Orthodontic Dental Clinic.
Hayasaki Haruaki
Dr. Haruaki Hayasaki received his D.D.S. degree in 1987 and a Ph.D. degree in 1992 from the Faculty of Dentistry at Kyushu University. He received a Certified Pediatric dentist from the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry in 1992. He visited Baylor College of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics (Dallas, TX) as a visiting researcher from 1997 to 1999. He received the Award for Young Scientist from the Japanese Society of Stomatognathic Function in 2000. Currently, he is a professor and chairman of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences.
Yamasaki Youichi
Dr. Youichi Yamasaki received his D.D.S. degree in 1983 and a Ph.D. degree in 1989 from the Faculty of Dentistry in Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. He worked as an assistant professor in the pediatric dental clinic at Kyushu University Dental Hospital. He has been a professor and chairman of Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences since 2003. Dr. Yamasaki is studying the relationship between stomatognathic function and the effects of early treatment for malocclusion in children with primary, mixed dentition.