Correlation Between the New Bite Force Meter and GC Dental Prescale II

Background: Measurement of bite force is important for understanding oral function. Objectives: We aimed to clarify the relationship between the values of a newly developed one-sided measurement-type bite force meter (OBM-01 Prototype, JMS, Hiroshima) and those of a full-dentition bite force meter (Dental Prescale II, GC, Tokyo). Furthermore, we examined the intra- and inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients; ICCs) using the OBM-01 Prototype. Methods: Three studies were conducted. The first examined the ICC of the OBM-01 Prototype in 22 healthy adults; the second evaluated the relationship between the habitual chewing side bite force measured by the OBM-01 Prototype in 343 older adults, with or without dentures; and the third assessed the relationship between measurements obtained from the OBM-01 Prototype and Dental Prescale II in 201 older adults. Results: The ICCs showed good reliability. A moderate correlation was observed between the OBM-01 Prototype and Dental Prescale II, regardless of sex or denture presence on the habitual chewing side (Spearman's Rho; men 0.65, women 0.51 in non-denture group, men 0.51, women 0.55 in denture group). In both men and women, compared with the non-habitual chewing side, the habitual chewing side had significantly greater bite force. Additionally, the bite forces on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides were strongly and positively correlated with the total bite force measured using the Dental Prescale II (Spearman's Rho; men: habitual 0.676, non-habitual 0.746, women: habitual 0.705, non-habitual 0.640). Conclusions: A correlation was observed between the measurements obtained from the OBM-01 Prototype and Dental Prescale II.