The aims of this study were to investigate whether the occlusal force of preschool children could be measured with a pressure-sensitive sheet known as the “Dental Prescale” (Fuji Photo Film Co. )and, if possible, tthen o compare the occlusal force of the early stage of the deciduous dentition with that of the late stage. One hundred ten children(59 boys and 51 girls, age 2.6-5.9 years)were subdivided into 4 groups according to Hellman's dental age classification; 1. IC (n=20),2. Early Stage II A (less than 4.5 years, n=34),3. Late Stage II A (more than 4.5 years, n=44), and 4. II C (n=12). The maximum occlusal force of each subject in full intercuspation was recorded with the “Dental Prescale”.
The percentage of children in each group whose occlusal force was able to be successfully measured were,30% in IC,59% in early stage II A,93% in late stage II A and 75% in II C. The data obtained in early stage II A in this study were compared cross-sectionally with the data obtained in late stage II A. The occlusal force and the area of occlusal contact increased from the early to the late stage of the deciduous dentition.
These results suggest that the occlusal force of preschool children after early stage II A can be adequately quantified with the "Dental Prescale", and that there are clear increases in the occlusal force and area of occlusal contact from the early stage to the late stage of the deciduous dentition. Measurements could not be obtained, however, in 70% of the IC group and 41% of the early stage II A group because the Dental Prescale sheets were too large. We therefore recommend that smaller sheets be produced in order to measure the ccclusal forces of children under 4.5 years of age.