Occlusal contact characteristics of molar teeth with food impaction: Insights from a new digital technique

Objectives: The objective of this study was to analyze the occlusal contact characteristics of the food-impacted teeth using a new digital technique. Methods: A 3D occlusal analysis method was developed for studying the occlusal contact characteristics of teeth affected by food impaction. In this self-controlled study, food-impacted molars from 20 participants constituted the experimental group. The corresponding healthy teeth on the opposite side served as the control group. Variables such as occlusal force (OF), occlusal contact area (OCA), and the number and distribution of occlusal contact points (OCN) in the mesio-distal directions were measured and compared between the two groups. Results: There was no statistical significant difference in the values of OF, OCA and OCN between the foodimpacted molars and the healthy control molars (P > 0.05). However, paired T-tests indicated significant difference in the proportion of mesial OF, OCA, and OCN in the second molars of the experimental group (0.22, 0.28 and 0.28, respectively) and the control group (0.66, 0.63, and 0.63 respectively) (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The abnormal distribution of occlusal contacts in the second molar, primarily characterized by excessive occlusal contact in the distal direction may contribute to the occurrence of food impaction. Clinical significance: The present study identified variations in the distribution of occlusal contacts and occlusal component force in food-impacted teeth. These findings can assist dentists in making more targeted occlusal adjustments, or applying other treatment modalities, to effectively address food impaction.