A study on the characters of occlusal contact in patients with cracked tooth syndrome

Objective:To investigate the occlusal contact characters of middle-aged and elderly patients suffering from the cracked tooth syndrome(CTS) in molars.Methods: The occlusal contact characters of 20 patients with incompletely fracture in maxillary first molars were recorded by use of T-scanⅡ system in the intercuspal occlusion position.The protrusive movement as well as lateral movement were compared with the individual normal occlusions.Results: The bilaterally occlusal force of the control group was symmetrical.The center of occlusal force was slightly closer to the cracked-molar side of CTS group.The average percent of the occusal forces on the cracked sides was 11.22% higher than that on the contralateral sides.The average occlusal contact number of the cracked sides was 3.5,which located in the cusp inclines close to the cracks.Higher than the control group,the incidence rate of occlusal interference was 80 per cent in CTS group.Conclusion: Unbalanced occlusion is one of the etiologic factors that contribute to the occurrence of CTS in molars as well as occlusal interference.