Single tooth bite forces in healthy young adults

summary The assessment of bite forces on healthy single tooth appears essential for a correct quantification of the actual impact of single implant oral rehabilitations. In the present study, a new single tooth strain‐gauge bite transducer was used in 52 healthy young adults (36 men, 16 women) with a complete permanent dentition. The influences of tooth position along the dental arch, of side, and of sex, on maximum bite force were assessed by an anova . No significant left–right differences were found. On average, in both sexes the lowest bite force was recorded on the incisors (40–48% of maximum single tooth bite force), the largest force was recorded on the first molar. Bite forces were larger in men than in women ( P < 0·002), and increased monotonically along the arch until the first or second permanent molar ( P < 0·0001). The present data can be used as reference values for the comparison of dental forces in patients.