Association between skeletal malocclusion, masseter muscle volume, and bite force: CBCT study

Background/Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the masseter muscle volume and maximum bite force in individuals with different types skeletal malocclusion. The researchers conducted a comparative analysis to assess the relationship between skeletal malocclusion groups and masseter muscle volume, as well as maximum bite force. By examining these variables, the study aimed to provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of craniofacial deformities. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on a sample of 60 young adult patients (18-30) years. These patients were referred to the clinic for Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) imaging. Radiological measurements were taken using CBCT images, and bite force was measured using a force measurement sensor. Results: The results of the study indicated a statistically significant relationship in both muscle volume and bite force among the different skeletal malocclusion groups. However, no correlation was observed between muscle volume and other variables. The statistically significant relationship between vertical groups and muscle volume/bite force suggests that these measures could potentially serve as supplementary diagnostic tools. However, the uneven distribution of vertical directional groups indicates that they may not be entirely reliable as diagnostic tools. Therefore, further investigation using larger sample sizes is necessary to better understand the relationship between skeletal malocclusion, bite force, muscle volume. Conclusions: The absence of correlation between muscle volume and bite force suggests that CBCT may not be reliable method for soft tissue imaging. This implies inadequacy of CBCT in capturing soft tissue details.