A study of bite force, part 2: Relationship to various cephalometric measurements.

Maximum bilateral bite force, determined in 129 dental students, was evaluated with regard to six skeletal and eight dental measurements acquired from conventional lateral cephalometric radiographs. Statistically significant correlations for three of the skeletal measurements were found. Maximum bite force increased with regard to decreasing mandibular plane/palatal plane angle and to decreasing mandibular plane angles. Maximum bite force increased with an increasing ratio of posterior facial height to anterior facial height. Significant statistical correlation for only one of the eight dental measurements was found: maximum bite force related directly with increasing maxillary and/or mandibular dentoalveolar heights, and unexpected finding.