The effect of maximum bite force on alveolar bone morphology.

OBJECTIVES To investigate to what extent maximum bite force contributes to alveolar bone morphology parameters, i.e. alveolar thickness, shape and arch width. DESIGN An observational cross-sectional survey. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION One hundred and fifty one 12- to 14-year-old students from a secondary school in Hatyai City, Songkhla Province, Thailand. MATERIAL AND METHODS Height, weight and maximum bite force of each subject were recorded. Alveolar bone morphology parameters were measured from study models. RESULTS Maximum bite force moderately correlated with alveolar thickness and shape (r = 0.31-0.44, p < 0.001), but weakly correlated with arch width (r = 0.03-0.05, p > 0.05). After adjusting for gender and body mass index (BMI), the maximum bite force significantly determined alveolar thickness and shape (p < 0.001), accounting for 10-20% of the variations. Boys were associated with larger posterior arch width (p < 0.01), where BMI was not associated with alveolar bone morphology parameters (p > 0.01) after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. CONCLUSION Maximum bite force had a selective influence on alveolar thickness and shape, but not on arch width.