MAXIMUM BITE FORCE IN FIXED PRELIMINARY PROSTHETICS

Background: Maximum bite force is the maximum force that a pаtient can reproduce without causing periodontal pain in teeth. The study aimed to clinically investigate the maximum bite force in patients prosthetized with test specimens of preliminary constructions (with/without reinforcement) and derive recommendations for practice. Methods: A total of 30 patients (18 males and 12 females), aged between 45 and 59 years, with distal partially edentulous conditions, were treated with preliminary constructions (PCs) at the Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University – Sofia. For the study of each patient, four identically shaped bridge constructions from different materials were fabricated in the laboratory: a metal-ceramic bridge; a subtractive PMMA bridge; an additive solid bridge; additive bridge with reinforcement. The study of the maximum bite force for the different constructions was carried out using a universal gnathodynamometric system. Results: The Friedman test revealed a statistically significant relationship between the maximum bite force and the type of preliminary construction, p < 0.001. The subsequent post-hoc pairwise analysis provided clarifying data on the differences between the types of constructions, as follows: The metal-ceramic construction demonstrates a significantly higher maximum bite force (median median 117 N) compared to the other constructions: printed-reinforced (median median 105 N; p = 0.001); printed (median median 77 N; p < 0.001); and milled (median 86 N; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Since metal-ceramic frameworks are inherently permanent prosthetic constructions, the scientific focus of our study is on the other three groups of preliminary constructions, each of which may be the object of choice in long-term preliminary prosthetics.