Relationships between Mandibular Torus and Occlusal Force, Occlusal Contact Area and Parafunction

The mandibular torus is a bony protuberance and its contributory causes include heredity, masticatory pressure and/or parafunction. However, no obvious single cause is known. In this study, we evaluated the relationships between mandibular torus and occlusal force, occlusal contact area and parafunction by using a dental prescaleTM and questionnaire. All subjects were patients who visited Kyushu Dental College Hospital for dental treatment. The relationships between the presence or absence of mandibular torus and maximum occlusal force showed statistically significant differences. Also the relationships between the presence or absence of mandibular torus and occlusal contact area showed statistically significant differences. Moreover, the relationships between the presence or absence of mandibular torus and parafunction, especially clenching and preference for hard food showed statistically significant differences based on results of the questionnaire. However, there was no relationship between mandibular torus and grinding, muscle pain, or stress, based on the results of questionnaire.