Occlusal sequalae of the loss of first permanent molars among children and adolescents

Objective: The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the disintegration of the contact point system, the occlusal changes, and the masticatory force following the loss of the first permanent molars (FPM).
Material and methods: Clinical examinations were performed among 8-18-year-olds following the changes in the contact points and their effects on the dento-maxillary apparatus. The sample comprises 422 individuals, 220 girls and 202 boys. The occlusal masticatory force was measured using the T-Scan in the case of the opening of contact points. For the statistical data analysis, was used correlation and Chi Square Test in the GraphPad InStat program.
Results: A very weak reverse dependence was found between the size of the edentulous space and the deflection of the upper and lower interincisal lines (r=-0.02) and between the age and size of the edentulous space (r=-0.05). There is a statistically significant chance of mandibular lateral deviation by dental migration following edentulism (p=0.043). In the case of the opening of contact points, there are 1.42 times higher risks of modified sagital relationship in the molar segment (p=0.016) and 2.7 times greater risks of the tipping of the neighbouring teeth (p=0.021). Following the evaluation of the T-Scan measurements, we found in each case a significant decrease in the masticatory force in the edentulous area and the opening of the interproximal contact points.
Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, we can state that the opening of contact points decisively influences the stability of the occlusion and the size of the masticatory force.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/asmj-2020-0012