Evaluation of the Masticatory Part and the Habitual Chewing Side by Wax Cube and Bite Force Measuring System (Dental Prescale)

Abstract

This study evaluated the masticatory side as well as which side was the habitual chewing side by the use of wax cubes and a bite force measuring system in normal dentate subjects (ND) and complete denture wearers (CD). Forty two ND subjects (29 males, 13 females; mean age, 24.8 +/- 2.4 years), and 11 CD subjects (4 males, 7 females; mean age, 72.8 +/- 7.0 years) participated in the study. The test food used in this study was wax cubes to determine the masticatory side. The difference in the occlusal contact area and occlusal force between the masticatory side and the opposite side was investigated using Dental Prescale. ND was classified into 2 groups: those whose agreement on the masticatory part was high (ND-H) or low (ND-L). The distribution of the center of the occlusal balance was analyzed by Dental Prescale in ND-H, ND-L, and CD. The occlusal contact area and occlusal force of the masticatory side was greater than the opposite one, and the center of the occlusal balance was wide in ND-H. In ND-L and CD, the occlusal contact area and occlusal force did not differ between the masticatory side and the opposite one, and the center of the occlusal balance developed a tendency to gather in the center. The results of this study suggested that the evaluation of the masticatory side and the use of Dental Prescale were helpful in determining the habitual chewing side.