Determination of vertical dimension of rest. A comparative study.

The present study was undertaken to compare the VDR determined by conventional methods and EMG with biofeedback. Twenty dentulous and 20 edentulous subjects were included in the study. The VDR was determined by conventional methods using phonetic and swallowing methods. The masseter and anterior belly of the digastric muscles were used to determine the VDR by EMG with biofeedback. VDR was determined by dentulous and edentulous subjects by conventional and electromyographic methods. In edentulous subjects the VDR relation was determined by both methods with and without dentures in the mouth. All results were subjected to statistical analysis. The following conclusions are drawn from the study: The VDR as determined by both methods was similar in dentulous subjects. In edentulous subjects the difference in the VDR with and without dentures in the mouth was not statistically significant in both methods. In edentulous subjects the VDR increased in most subjects with the insertion of dentures and decreased in the remaining few subjects by either method. The difference between the VDR determined by conventional and electromyographic methods in edentulous subjects with dentures was not significant, but without dentures the difference was statistically significant. The comparison between the two methods of determining the VDR in dentulous and edentulous subjects with or without dentures in the mouth showed that VDR determined with dentures was closer to that of dentulous subjects than without dentures. It was concluded by the authors that the determination of VDR by either conventional or electromyographic methods with dentures was more accurate than determining the VDR without dentures.