Statistical evaluation of some mandibular reference positions in normal young people.

Mandibular rest position, swallowing occlusal position, and maximum opening were evaluated in a sample of healthy young adults (52 male, 27 female) using a mandibular kinesiograph. It was found that males have a significantly greater vertical dimension of rest than do females, while there were no gender differences in the maximum opening. Most of the subjects had a swallowing occlusal position that coincided with or was very near to the position of maximum intercuspation. Reported data allow the definition of a three-dimensional normal range of variability of maxillomandibular positions during the functional tests most frequently used.