IADR Abstract Archives
Occlusal Sensitivity in Subjects With Different Frequency of Oral Parafunctions
Objectives: Oral parafunctional behaviours are characterized by an overuse of the masticatory muscles, thus applying aberrant occlusal forces to the teeth for long periods. It can be hypothesized that consequently, the greater periodontal activity of the periodontal receptors might lead to an alteration of occlusal sensitivity. The aim of this study was therefore, to evaluate the occlusal sensitivity in adults reporting high and low frequency of wake-time oral parafunctional behaviours, as assessed with the short version of the oral behaviour checklist (OBC-6).
Methods: Two-hundred and twelve self-report questionnaires were distributed among dental and medical students. Subjects with an OBC-6 score below the 20th percentile (Low Frequency Parafunction (LFP) group: 13 males and 15 females) and above the 80th percentile (High Frequency Parafunction (HFP) group: 11 males and 17 females) were selected for an occlusal sensitivity assessment. The occlusal sensitivity was tested with ten different thicknesses: 9 aluminium foils ranging from 8 μ (0.008 mm) to 72 μ (0.072 mm) with a constant increment of 8 μ, and one sham test without any foil. The testing foils were presented 10 times in random order (100 tests in total). The participants were instructed to close their mouth only once and to report whether felt the aluminium foil between their teeth or not. Between-group comparison (HFP vs. LFG) was performed for each testing thickness (Student t-test for unpaired data, Bonferroni correction). The significance level was set at P<0.05.
Results: For the sham test and for the testing thicknesses between 0.008 mm and 0.048 mm, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups. The thicknesses 0.56 mm, 0.64 mm, and 0.72 mm were significantly better perceived in the HFP group than in the LFP group (P<0.005, P<0.001, and P<0.001, respectively).
Conclusions: Subjects with high frequency of oral parafunction present higher occlusal sensitivity.
Methods: Two-hundred and twelve self-report questionnaires were distributed among dental and medical students. Subjects with an OBC-6 score below the 20th percentile (Low Frequency Parafunction (LFP) group: 13 males and 15 females) and above the 80th percentile (High Frequency Parafunction (HFP) group: 11 males and 17 females) were selected for an occlusal sensitivity assessment. The occlusal sensitivity was tested with ten different thicknesses: 9 aluminium foils ranging from 8 μ (0.008 mm) to 72 μ (0.072 mm) with a constant increment of 8 μ, and one sham test without any foil. The testing foils were presented 10 times in random order (100 tests in total). The participants were instructed to close their mouth only once and to report whether felt the aluminium foil between their teeth or not. Between-group comparison (HFP vs. LFG) was performed for each testing thickness (Student t-test for unpaired data, Bonferroni correction). The significance level was set at P<0.05.
Results: For the sham test and for the testing thicknesses between 0.008 mm and 0.048 mm, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups. The thicknesses 0.56 mm, 0.64 mm, and 0.72 mm were significantly better perceived in the HFP group than in the LFP group (P<0.005, P<0.001, and P<0.001, respectively).
Conclusions: Subjects with high frequency of oral parafunction present higher occlusal sensitivity.