Differences in chewing strategies used by edentate people

Abstract

Aim: To examine, in detail, the different masticatory measures that contribute to individual chewing strategies of edentate people.Measures: Variables relating to displacement and force were derived using a new three dimensional implant force transducer, a mucosal pressure transducer and measurements of mandibular movements.Materials: Five edentate subjects with conventional upper dentures and lower dentures stabilized on two dental implants. The subjects chewed unilaterally on their preferred chewing side. Seven foods were chewed – almond, fruit pastille, chewing gum and four different meats.Analysis: The data were analysed by separating each sequence into cycles and ‘phases’ of cycles for which variables were derived.Results: As expected, the results showed greater differences between subjects than between foods. From the five subjects, four basic strategies were identified in response to the different foods: one subject primarily modulated force, one subject modulated the number of cycles, two subjects modulated force and the number of cycles and one subject showed little modulation at all. As part of these strategies many striking differences between subjects were observed, e.g. one subject showed little modulation of her ‘default’ chewing pattern for different foods, yet one subject modulated the number of force and manipulation cycles, the force strategy (forces increasing through sequences) and swallow thresholds.Conclusion: People appear to develop different strategies to compensate for chewing difficulty by modulating speed, the number of cycles and/or penetration forces.