Subjects' ability to move the jaws following the dentistûs instructions

Authors

Phanomporn Vanichanon
Khanittha Saisud
Jintana Yooyen
Nattapong Labueng

Publication Date

2009-09-01

Abstract

Objective To find out the extent to which subjects can move their jaws to the correct position following the dentistûs instructions, and to determine the most appropriate instruction method to enable subjects to move their jaws correctly. Materials and methods A sample of 18 dental faculty staff were interviewed to ascertain the methods they used to instruct patients to move their jaws to different positions, as follows: 1) the intercuspal position (ICP); 2) right-left lateral excursion; 3) protrusion; and 4) maximum mouth opening (MMO). Then the four most popular methods were selected and tested on 102 subjects. All positions were checked by one faculty staff. For MMO, it was assumed that the method which achieved the greatest interincisal distance was the correct one. Results The extent to which the subjects could correctly move their jaws depended on the instruction method (p < 0.05). The best methods, which brought the subjects to the most correct jaw positions, were: 1) For the ICP: the dentist touched the subject's cheek in the posterior tooth area and said, "Bite on this area" (91.2%); 2) Right and left lateral excursion: the dentist said, "Move your jaw to the right" [or "left"] as the subject held and looked into a mirror (84.3% and 79.4%, respectively); 3) Protrusion: by the dentist's demonstration (97.1%); and 4) For maximum mouth opening: the dentist said, "Open your mouth as wide as you can then" followed by "Can you open wider?" (65.09%). Conclusion Each subject had a different ability to move the jaw into the correct position following the dentistûs various instruction methods. Mistakes most often occurred at the lateral excursion.

DOI

10.58837/CHULA.CUDJ.32.3.6

First Page

213

Last Page

224

Recommended Citation

Vanichanon, Phanomporn; Saisud, Khanittha; Yooyen, Jintana; and Labueng, Nattapong (2009) "Subjects' ability to move the jaws following the dentistûs instructions," Chulalongkorn University Dental Journal: Vol. 32: Iss. 3, Article 6.
DOI: 10.58837/CHULA.CUDJ.32.3.6
Available at: https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/cudj/vol32/iss3/6