Masticatory behavior change by prosthodontic treatment

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09697
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57050:Prosthodontics-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Hori Kazuhiro 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 准教授 (70379080)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小野 高裕 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (30204241)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 咀嚼 / 咀嚼回数 / 補綴装置 / 高齢者 / 咀嚼能力

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to observe the characteristics of masticatory behavior in elderly people and the change in masticatory behavior by prosthetic treatment using a wearable counter. As a result of measuring the masticatory behavior, there was no difference in the number of chews by age group, but the masticatory performance decreased as the older. Elderly people with oral hypofunction had a decrease in chewing speed, although the number of chews did not change. In addition, no correlation was found between masticatory behavior and masticatory performance. After the prosthetic treatment, changes such as a decrease in the number of chews and an improvement in the chewing speed were observed. These results suggest that prosthetic treatment may also affect masticatory behavior.

Free Research Field

歯科補綴学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果，日本人における一般的な咀嚼に関する基礎データを明らかすることができた．特に高齢者では，咀嚼能率が低下するものの咀嚼行動には変化が見られないこと，口腔機能低下した高齢者では咀嚼テンポが低下していることが明らかとなった．また，咀嚼行動と咀嚼能力には相関がみられず，咀嚼機能低下に対する代償的な咀嚼行動の変化が見られなかった．また，補綴治療により咀嚼テンポの改善がみられた．これらのことは，咀嚼能率が低下したものの咀嚼行動に変化が見られない高齢者においては窒息や低栄養のリスクが高くなることを示唆しており，補綴治療の重要性だけでなく，咀嚼行動に対するアプローチの必要性が考えられた．