Evaluation of the Human Subject's Ability to Differentiate Intensity of Forces Applied to the Maxillary Central Incisors

Abstract

Minimal detectable differences between two centered forces applied to maxillary central incisors were determined for 50 subjects. The forces involved were 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 gm; most accurate subjective discrimination was between the 50- and 500-gm centered forces. Incisally and labially directed forces yielded nearly identical results.