Korean athlete's recognition of sports dentistry and condition of teeth wear

한국 운동선수의 스포츠 치의학에 대한 인지도 및 치아교모상태에 관한 연구

This study was accompolished to analyze and compare the number and area of the occlusal contact points in healthy volunteers and athletes with normal occlusion. Before the study, 89 athletes(sports career:8.6 years, average age 20) at Kyung Hee University were selected, and survey was accomplished for athlete's recognition about sports dentistry. For this study, 15 athletes(13 amles and 2 females with average age 20) and 21 healthy volunteers(14 mles and 7 females with average age 20.09) at Kyung Hee University were selected. The visual display acquired by scanning of occlusal record in maximal intercuspation was converted into 16 gray value image. Then, using computer program(J & Lee Occlusal Analyser), the pixel which was in definite range of the gray value was recognized, and the numbers of recognized pixel were calculated to area. The results were as follows : (1) On the survey about sports dentistry, 28% of 89 athletes didn't agree that human occlusion may be important, and 30% didn't have any idea of the influence of human occlusion during their sports activities. (2) The average numbers of total occlusal contact points were 31.05 in control group, and 34.67 in athlete group. The average area of total occlusal contacts was $100.25mm^2$ in control group, and $127.78mm^2$ in athlete group. (3) In control group, the average numbers of occlusal contact points were revealed in order as follows; the first molar(8.48), the second molar(8.24), the second premolar(4.71), the lateral incisor(2.90), the first premor(2.43), the central incisor(2.19), and the canine(2.1). The least average in canine(2.1) was similar to the average(2.19) in central incisor and (2.09) in lateral incisor. In athlete group, the average numbers of occlusal contact points were revealed in order as follows; the first molar(8.87), the second molar(8.47), the second premolar(5.60), the canine(3.80), the lateral incisor(3.33), the first premolar(2.67), and the central incisor(1.93). (4) In control group, the average areas of occlusal contact surface were revealed in order as follows; the first molar($39.47mm^3$), the second molar($37.54mm^3$), the second premolar($9.54mm^3$) the first premolar($6.18mm^3$), canine($3.49mm^3$), the central incisor($2.76mm^3$), and the lateral incisor($1.28mm^3$). In athlete group, the average areas of occlusal contact surface were revealed in order as follows; the first molar($44.11mm^3$), the second molar($40.69mm^3$), the second premolar($16.50mm^3$), the first premolar($9.39mm^3$), the canine($5.08mm^3$), the lateral incisor($3.7mm^3$), and the central incisor($2.25mm^3$). (5). With aging in both control and athlete group, there was a decreasing tendancy in average number of occlusal contact point, and was an increasing tendancy in average area of occlusal contact surface. In comparison at each age, both the numbers and area of occlusal contact were greater in athlete group than in control group. It was not significant in the numbers of occlusal contact points beween athlete and control group(p>0.1), but significant in the area of occlusal contact surface(p<0.05). (6) In comparision as to the kind of sports(Gymnastics:2, Rugby:3, Soccor:5, Ice hocky:5), the numbers of occlusal contact points were the most in ice hocky, and the area of occlusal contact surface was the greatest in gymnastics. With increasing a career in athlete group, there was a decreasing tendancy in average numbers of occlusal contact points, and was an increasing tendancy in average area of occlusal contact surface.