The normal range of maximal incisal opening in pediatric population and its association with physical variables.

Background: Restricted mouth opening is a common complaint in patients suffering from temporomandibular joint disorders, ankylosis, impaired masticatory muscle function, rheumatic disease, infection, or malignancy. As with any disease, the aim of treatment of disorders affecting mouth opening is to restore the mouth opening to its normal value. It is thus of paramount importance to determine the normal value. Objective: To establish the normal range of maximal incisal opening (MIO) in children aged 4 to 15 years and to investigate the correlation between MIO and age, gender, height, and body weight. Materials and Methods: Six hundred and two children from various schools in Bengaluru, India, participated in the study. The children were divided into the following age groups: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, and 14-15 years. MIO for the children was recorded using Therabite® scale. The measurements of MIO were then correlated with gender, body weight, and height of the children in different age groups. Results: It was observed that MIO gradually increased with age with a mean MIO of 41.34 mm at 4-5 years to a mean MIO of 51.73 mm at 14-15 years. The mean MIO value for males (48.90 ± 6.49 mm) was found to be higher when compared to that of females (46.17 ± 5.58 mm). The results indicated a strong positive correlation of MIO with height and weight. Conclusion: MIO gradually increased with age in both the genders, and a strong positive correlation of MIO with height and weight was observed.

RésuméContexte: L'ouverture restreinte de la bouche est une plainte fréquente chez les patients souffrant de troubles de l'articulation temporo-mandibulaire, d'ankylose, d'altération de la fonction musculaire masticatoire, de rhumatisme articulaire, d'infection ou de cancer. Comme pour toute maladie, le traitement des troubles de l'ouverture de la bouche a pour objectif de ramener cette ouverture à sa valeur normale. Il est donc primordial de déterminer la valeur normale. Objectif: Établir la plage normale d'ouverture maximale de l'incision (OMI) chez les enfants âgés de 4 à 15 ans et étudier la corrélation entre l'ouverture maximale de l'incision et l'âge, le sexe, la taille et le poids corporel. Conception de l'étude: Six cent deux sujets de diverses écoles de Bangalore, en Inde, ont participé à l'étude. Les sujets ont été répartis dans les groupes d'âge suivants: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 ans, 10-11 ans, 12-13 ans et 14-15 ans. L'ouverture incisive maximale des sujets a été enregistrée avec l'échelle Therabite®. Les mesures de MIO ont ensuite été corrélées avec le sexe, le poids corporel et la taille des enfants dans différents groupes d'âge. Résultats: Il a été observé que le MIO augmentait progressivement avec l'âge, avec un MIO moyen de 41,34 mm à 4-5 ans, pour atteindre un MIO moyen de 51,73 mm à 14-15 ans. La valeur moyenne maximale de l'ouverture incisive chez les hommes (48,90 ± 6,49 mm) s'est avérée plus élevée que celle des femmes (46,17 ± 5,58 mm). Les résultats ont montré une forte corrélation positive entre le MIO et la taille et le poids. Conclusion: le MIO a augmenté progressivement avec l'âge chez les deux sexes et une forte corrélation positive entre le MIO et la taille et le poids a été observée.

The normal range of maximal incisal opening in pediatric population and its association with physical variables

Background: Restricted mouth opening is a common complaint in patients suffering from temporomandibular joint disorders, ankylosis, impaired masticatory muscle function, rheumatic disease, infection, or malignancy. As with any disease, the aim of treatment of disorders affecting mouth opening is to restore the mouth opening to its normal value. It is thus of paramount importance to determine the normal value. Objective: To establish the normal range of maximal incisal opening (MIO) in children aged 4 to 15 years and to investigate the correlation between MIO and age, gender, height, and body weight. Materials and Methods: Six hundred and two children from various schools in Bengaluru, India, participated in the study. The children were divided into the following age groups: 4­5, 6­7, 8­9, 10­11, 12­13, and 14­15 years. MIO for the children was recorded using Therabite® scale. The measurements of MIO were then correlated with gender, body weight, and height of the children in different age groups. Results: It was observed that MIO gradually increased with age with a mean MIO of 41.34 mm at 4­5 years to a mean MIO of 51.73 mm at 14­15 years. The mean MIO value for males (48.90 ± 6.49 mm) was found to be higher when compared to that of females (46.17 ± 5.58 mm). The results indicated a strong positive correlation of MIO with height and weight. Conclusion: MIO gradually increased with age in both the genders, and a strong positive correlation of MIO with height and weight was observed