Abstract
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of food hardness on chewing behavior in children compared with adults.Materials and methodsHealthy children (3–17 years) were equally divided into five groups based on their dental eruption stages. Each participant ate soft and hard viscoelastic test food models (3 each), while the three-dimensional jaw movements and electromyographic (EMG) activity of the bilateral masseter muscles were recorded. The data from the children were compared with a control group of healthy adults (18–35 years). The data were analyzed with nonparametric tests.ResultsThere was no significant difference in the number of chewing cycles and the duration of the chewing sequence between children groups and adults. Children with primary dentition (3–5 years) showed shorter lateral jaw movement and higher muscle activity at the end of the chewing sequence, compared with adults. Further, children’s age-groups (3–14 years) failed to adapt their jaw muscle activity to food hardness. However, at the late-permanent dentition stage (15–17 years), children were capable of performing adult-like chewing behavior.ConclusionsOverall, it seems that children as young as 3-year-old are quite competent in performing basic chewing function similar to adults. Yet, there are differences in the anticipation or adaption of jaw muscle activity and jaw kinematics to food hardness.Clinical relevanceThe study may have clinical implication in the diagnosis and management of children with chewing impairment associated with dental malocclusions and other orofacial dysfunctions.
Highlights
Chewing behavior can be stated as the complex and dynamic action of cutting the food and preparing it for swallowing
This study aims to investigate the effects of food hardness on the jaw kinematics and jaw muscle activity during the chewing sequence in children compared with adults
Identifying the developmental milestones of chewing behavior in healthy children will help us compare, diagnose, and evaluate the success of the orthodontic/orthognathic treatment in children with malocclusions. It seems that jaw motor functions in children as young as 3–6 years is quite competent in performing basic chewing function similar to adults
Summary
Chewing behavior can be stated as the complex and dynamic action of cutting the food and preparing it for swallowing. The sensorimotor regulation of the chewing movements has been described in detail in adults [9,10,11,12,13,14,15]. It has been shown in a series of well-controlled studies that the jaw muscle activity and jaw kinematics during chewing adapt to the changes in food hardness [9,10,11,12,13,14,15] and to the changing mechanical properties of the
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