Abstract

"Assessing the normal range of manibular movement becomes an indispensable tool for the clinical evaluation of the function of the masticatory system. The aim of this study was to measure the range of mandibular movement in mouth opening, protrusion, and lateral movements in pediatric subjects from the city of Temuco, Chile and to determine their association with age, sex, and height. A cross-sectional study was performed in children aged 6-13, treated in the Teaching-Unit-Dental-Clinic at the Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco-Chile. 54 subjects participated in the study (44.4 % females); girls exhibited an average mouth opening of 51.9 mm and males of 54.8 mm. Averages were 53.5 mm for mouth opening, 11.8 mm for protrusion, 9.9 mm for right laterality, and 10.3 mm for left laterality. A statistically significant difference was found between age groups, opening, and right lateral ranges, as well as a weak to moderate correlation between mouth opening and protrusion, protrusion and right laterality, protrusion and left laterality, right and left laterality, height and mouth opening, and height and right lateral ranges. The results of this study provide specific data and evidence on the importance of evaluating all ranges of mandibular movement, relating them to each other and with variables such as age and height."