Farklı Baş Postürlerinde İnterokluzal Temas Noktalarındaki Değişimin Dijital Olarak Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

KARACA S, Digital Evaluation of the Change in Interocclusal Contact Points in Different Head Postures. Hacettepe University, Faculty of Dentistry. Speciality Thesis in Prosthodontics, 2023. There is knowledge that different head postures may lead to changes in occlusal contacts in interocclusal records obtained with intraoral scanners, but this information lacks a basis in clinical scientific studies. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different head postures on direct interocclusal closure records obtained with an intraoral scanner by assessing changes in the number, density, and location of interocclusal contact points. Thirty-six volunteers with a natural dentition, no missing teeth, and no obstacles that could affect the intermaxillary closure relationship were included in the study. Direct digital records of the lower and upper dental arches were obtained using an intraoral scanner. After determining three different head postures, including neutral posture, forward head posture, and backward head posture, three separate interocclusal records were directly recorded with the same intraoral scanner using a manual goniometer to determine head posture. A digital occlusal analysis program from a jaw motion recording device using optical triangulation technology was employed to assess the occlusal contacts obtained from the interocclusal records. The obtained occlusal contacts were evaluated in terms of contact presence/quantity, density, and location. There was no significant difference in these three factors between occlusal contacts in the right and left half arches (p<0.05). The number of contact points showed a significant difference between the forward head posture and backward head posture groups, with a decrease in the backward head posture group (p<0.05). Contact density did not show a significant difference among the three posture groups (p<0.05). Contact location only showed a decrease in the neutral-forward head posture and neutral-backward head posture groups compared to the neutral head posture group in the functional cusp position, and this decrease was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). It was determined that different head postures partially affect the direct digital record obtained with an intraoral scanner.