Oral Health and Dental Management

Clinical measurement of maximal mouth opening in children: A pioneer method

39^th Asia-Pacific Dental and Oral Care Congress

October 26-28, 2017 Osaka, Japan

Arun Kumar

Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences Rohtak, India

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Oral Health Dent Manag

Abstract:

Measurement of normal maximum mouth opening (MMO) in children is an important diagnostic criterion in the evaluation of the stomatognathic system. Th e aim of this study was to determine the MMO in children of age 3 to 12 years and to examine the possible infl uence of age, gender, height and body weight on MMO. Assessment of MMO was accomplished with a modifi ed Vernier Caliper, by measuring the distance between the incisal edges of the upper and lower incisors during maximal mouth opening up to the painless limit. Th e study consisted of 1383 children, who were randomly divided into two groups based on their dentition: Group-1: Children with primary dentition, Group-2: Children with mixed dentition. Th e group-1 was sub-grouped based upon age. Sub-group-1: Children with 3 years of age, Sub-group-2: Children with 4 years of age, Sub-group-3: Children with 5 years of age. Th e group-2 was sub-grouped in sub-group-4: Children of age 6-8years; Sub-group-5: Children of age 8-10 years; Sub-group-6: Children of age 10-12 years. For each subject three readings were recorded in millimeters and the mean value was considered. Th e age, gender, height and body weight of each child were also recorded at the same time. P value of <0.05 was considered to be signifi cant. Th e results of the present study revealed that MMO in Indian children were 41.61 mm, 44.9 mm, 46.81 mm, 46.04 mm, 48.53 mm and 52.38 mm for boys and 40.09 mm, 44.22 mm, 46.2 mm, 45.95 mm, 47.27 mm and 52.05 mm for girls at age of 3, 4, 5, 6-8, 8-10 and 10-12 years, respectively. Furthermore, signifi cant associations were observed in between MMO, age, gender, height and body weight.

Biography :

Arun Kumar has completed his Masters in Dental Surgery in the subject of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry from Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences in India. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor at Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences. He has published more than 68 papers in reputed international and national journals.