Relationship between behavior of food and occlusal configuration on masticatory function

• Published in: Nihon Gaku Koukou Kinou Gakkai zasshi Vol. 2; no. 1; pp. 27 - 31
• Main Authors: Kohno, Shoji, Saitoh, Akira, Watabe, Atsushi, Kido, Toshiaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japanese Society of Stomatognathic Function 1995
• Subjects: food behavior; masticatory function; occlusal configuration; Squeezing Room
• ISSN: 1340-9085; 1883-986X
• DOI: 10.7144/sgf.2.27

Mastication consists of a series of movement that co-activates upper and lower teeth and the soft tissues of the mouth in order to crash food and form swallowable food bolus. To comprehend masticatory function, it is essential to understand food behavior as related to the occlusal surface and its adjacent structures; but there are almost no reports available about it. The purpose of this study was to observe food behavior following food crushing and consider the association between food behavior and occlusal configuration. We designed a new method to estimating food behavior. Peanuts which were chewed were gathered separately from buccal side and lingual side after varying numbers of chewing strokes, and then measured the amount and the degree of crushing of each one. As subjects, four young adults with normal occlusion and no experience of dental treatment were selected. The results were as follows: 1. As mastication proceeded, the amount of broken down peanuts on the buccal side decreased significantly, and those on the lingual side increased gradually. 2. The degree of crushing were higher on the lingual side than on the buccal side. Recently it was stated that the“Squeezing Room”, which exist upper first molar, plays an important role concerning food crushing. It is speculated that one of the factors regulating food behavior is the“Squeezing Room”. To study this speculation, we examined food behavior using two experimental telescopic crowns. One was casted with usual molar anatomy whilst the other one without buccal cusps. Comparing food behavior with these two crowns enable us to imply the functional signification of the“Squeezing Room”on mastication.