Teeth under High Occlusal Force may Reflect Occlusal Trauma-associated Periodontal Conditions in Subjects with Untreated Chronic Periodontitis

Objective: To determine the association of high occlusal force (HOF) with the signs of occlusal trauma and periodontal conditions in periodontitis patients, and elaborate the relevant clinical implications. Methods: Periodontal parameters and signs of occlusal trauma were recorded for 807 teeth in 30 subjects with untreated chronic periodontitis. The T-scan II occlusal analysis system determined the HOF during maximum intercuspation, lateral excursion and protrusive excursion. The correlation of HOF with periodontal parameters and signs of occlusal trauma was analysed. Results: Overall, the teeth with HOF existed mainly in molars and presented with deeper probing depth (PD) and higher frequency of bleeding on probing (BOP) than those without HOF. The fixed-effect analysis showed that HOF was positively correlated with PD and BOP (P 0.05) in posterior teeth; widened periodontal ligament space on radiographs in upper (r = 0.179, P 0.01) and lower posterior teeth (r = 0.205; P 0.05); as well as functional mobility in upper posterior teeth (r = 0.168; P 0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that the posterior teeth with HOF in subjects with chronic periodontitis may reflect occlusal trauma-associated periodontal conditions that could probably increase the risk of further periodontal destruction. These findings may improve the clinical assessment of occlusal trauma and related periodontal conditions for better patient management and treatment outcomes. Keywords: chronic periodontitis, occlusal trauma, T-scan occlusal analysis system