The use of digital texture image analysis in determining the masticatory efficiency outcome

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 16; no. 5; p. e0250936
• Main Authors: Radovic, Katarina, Zivkovic, Rade, Peric, Mirjana, Milic Lemic, Aleksandra, Rajkovic, Katarina, Milicic, Biljana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 06.05.2021; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Ability tests; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis; Biology and Life Sciences; Calcium; Chewing Gum; Color; Colorimetry; Computer and Information Sciences; Dental materials; Dentistry; Denture, Complete; Dentures; Diagnostic Imaging - methods; Diet; Dietary intake; Digital imaging; Edentulous; Efficiency; Engineering and Technology; Equipment and supplies; Ethical standards; Female; Fibers; Food; Food intake; Food selection; Humans; Image analysis; Image processing; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; Magnesium; Male; Mastication; Medical research; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Methods; Nutritional status; Physical Sciences; Prospective Studies; Prostheses; Prosthodontics; Research and Analysis Methods; Serbia
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250936

The mixture level of gum samples consisting of two colours can be assessed visually, using the electronic colorimetric method, employing digital image processing techniques and specially designed software. The study investigates the possibility of an alternative method called “digital texture image analysis” (DTIA) to assess improvement of masticatory efficiency in denture wearers. The objectives were i) to evaluate whether DTIA discriminates changes in the colour mixing ability within a group over time; ii) to determine whether DTIA can be used to detect improvement in chewing ability; iii) to select the most appropriate DTIA feature that sufficiently describes masticatory efficiency in CDs wearers. The study was designed as an intra-individual evaluation of masticatory efficiency, which was assessed in participants with new dentures in three follow-up times. A set of four texture features was used in the current study. Uniformity, Contrast, Homogeneity and Entropy of the obtained chewing-gum samples were correlated to the degree of gum comminution. A statistically significant difference in masticatory efficiency was observed based on the values of the analysed DTIA variables of gum samples—Uniformity, Contrast, Homogeneity, and Entropy—have changed in the participants during the observation period. The improvement of the masticatory function in relation to the mixing ability of two-coloured chewing gum could be traced by monitoring changes in the values of DTIA variables. The most increasement of masticatory efficiency was observed by monitoring DTIA parameters such as contrast, and homogeneity.