Background: Pediatric dentists should have information regarding whether mouth opening is limited. In clinical practice, these professionals should collect and record oral area measurements at the pediatric patient's first medical examination.
Objectives: The study's aim developed the standard mouth opening measurement in children by using ordinary least squares regression to develop a clinical prediction model in children with Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis before preoperative surgery.
Methods: All participants completed their age, gender, and calculated height, weight, body mass index, and birth weight. Pediatric dentist performed all mouth-opening measurements. The oral-maxillofacial surgeon marked subnasal and pogonion points for the lower facial length of soft tissue. It was measured using the distance between the subnasal and pogonion with a digital vernier caliper. The widths of the three fingers (index, middle, and ring fingers) and four fingers (index, middle, ring, and little fingers) were also measured using a digital vernier caliper.
Results: Maximum mouth opening showed that three-finger width (R2 = 0.566, F = 185.479) and four-finger width (R2 = 0.462, F = 122.209) had a significant influence on the Maximum mouth opening (MMO) (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Pediatric dentists should collaborate with the treating maxillofacial surgeon to manage long-term treatment needs for individuals with Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis.
Keywords: Ankylosis of the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ); Children; Mouth opening; Vernier Caliper; İnterincisal Distance.
© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.