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Craniofacial growth after a period of unilateral masticatory function in young rabbits
Author(s) -
Poikela Aila,
Kantomaa Tuomo,
Pirttiniemi Pertti
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
european journal of oral sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.802
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1600-0722
pISSN - 0909-8836
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0722.1997.tb00249.x
Subject(s) - masticatory force , condyle , mandible (arthropod mouthpart) , craniofacial , molar , medicine , maxilla , fossa , temporal fossa , dentistry , skull , anatomy , biology , botany , psychiatry , genus
Changes in craniofacial growth after a period of unilateral masticatory function were studied in rabbits. 10‐day‐old animals were divided into 3 groups. In Group I, mandibular and maxillary molars were ground down 2 X a week on the right side under general anesthesis until age 50 days, and were thereafter left to grow without grinding. In Group II, the right‐dide molars were ground left dide. The animals were thereafter left to grow. Group III consisted of unoperated control animals. All of the animals were fed whole pellets and water ad libitum, and were sacrificed at age 100 days. There were measurable differences in growth after periods of unilateral masticatory function. The mandibular ramus was higher, the condylar processus was larger sagittally, and angles between the anterior or posterior bordrs of the condylar process and inferior border of mandible were smaller in the treated than in the control animals, and there were differences between right and left dides of the same animal in themazilla and mandible. The inclination of the articular surface of the glenoid fossa was steeper anteriorly on both sides in the treated than in the controls. It was concluded that growth after a period of unilateral masticatory function in young rabbits does not rectify all of the asymmetric changes in the maxilla, mandible and glenoid fossa resulting from the asymmetric function.