Factors influencing the anterior component of occlusal force

We hypothesized that the anterior component of occlusal force (ACF) generated by mandibular molars was a function of molar inclination, height of the transverse condylar axis above the occlusal plane, steepness of the occlusal plane, gape, molar root dimensions, interproximal tooth contact force when not biting, and bite force. Our research aim was to identify those biomechanical factors which determine ACF. Mandibular second molars were axially loaded with a 90 N force (10 mm second molar gape) in 15 subjects, and the resulting ACF was measured at the mandibular first molar-second premolar contact using a recording technique based on interproximal frictional forces. Morphologic measurements were obtained from lateral cephalometric radiographs of each subject and included: Frankfort mandibular plane angle, occlusal plane angle, angles formed by the longitudinal axis of the second molar and the occlusal and mandibular planes, perpendicular distance from the top of the condyle to the occlusal plane, and second molar root width and root length. For ten subjects, ACF resulting from axial loads of 50, 100, 150, and 200 N was measured. For ten subjects, ACF resulting from an axial load of 50 N and second molar gapes of 10 mm, 14 mm, 18 mm, and 22 mm were measured. ACF increased with increasing gape and increased proportionally to increasing bite force. Correlation and stepwise regression analyses revealed that ACF varies with interproximal tooth contact force when not biting (contact ‘tightness’) and molar root width (model R² = 0.71, p < 0.01). The hypothesis that ACF is a function of bite force, gape, molar root width, and interproximal contact tightness has been supported, and the hypothesis that ACF is a function of molar inclination, occlusal plane steepness, condylar axis height, and root length was rejected.