Condylographic recording of masticatory function: explorative study on occlusal parameters and chewing performance with natural food and a standard food model


Introduction: Loss of teeth defines oral health status and chewing abilities. Caries and periodontal disease have been associated with systemic diseases, however they may contribute to cognitive impairment too. Mastication assessment appears to possess broad significance, and is needed to create background knowledge for chewing harmony. The aim of this study was to evaluate chewing performance and the characteristics of condylographic recordings, during mastication of Natural Food (NF) and a Standard Food Model (SFM), in subjects with different occlusal parameters.
Methodology: Twenty-three adult subjects’ mastication was assessed with a standardized recording protocol, when chewing onto SFM and NF in three different textures. Detailed occlusal characteristics, condylographic recording data and condylographic patterns during mastication were all analyzed and compared.
Results: Bilateral Crossbites, Missing Molars and Asymmetric Molar Class were related to higher disharmony and transversal displacement during chewing. Missing and unreplaced molars showed dysfunctional patterns and so did worn out occlusal surfaces. Molar Class alone did not prove to be a useful predictor in chewing test results.
Conclusion: Increasing evidence indicates that oral health has an impact on Individual and Public Health. It is important to understand that oral health and its functional status are to be maintained during one’s lifetime, and that preventive, therapeutic measures at all ages should have a common functional target to grant neurobiological health as well as nutritional goals of Mastication. Further studies are needed to better understand the relevance of additional parameters such as Occlusal Plane Inclination, Curve of Spee, and three-dimensional asymmetries.
OPEN ACCESS This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license.
Peer-Reviewed Article
Citation: Tanteri G, Tanteri C, Slavicek G. Condylographic recording of masticatory function: explorative study on occlusal parameters and chewing
performance with natural food and a standard food model. Stoma Edu J. 2021;8(1):52-64
Received: February 21, 2021; Revised: February 27, 2021; Accepted: March 02, 2021; Published: March 04, 2021
*Corresponding author: Dr. Gregor Slavicek, MD, DDS, MSc, Director and Head, CEO and Head OREHAB-Minds GmbH, Zettachring 2, DE-70567 Stuttgart, Germany
Tel./Fax: +49-7307-24922-11; e-mail: g.slavicek@orehab-minds.com
Copyright: © 2021 the Editorial Council for the Stomatology Edu Journal.