Development of a novel measurement system for chewing force and assessment of masticatory performance

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K10048
• 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: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Kikuchi Masahiko 東北大学, 大学病院, 教授 (60195211)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 咀嚼力 / 咀嚼機能評価 / 感圧センサ / グミゼリー / チーズ / スプリント

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to establish a masticatory function evaluation method that measures the chewing force during food mastication in real time, and to use this method to examine the chewing force when masticating foods with different textures. The subjects were 19 healthy dentate subjects. Splints were made to be attached from the right first premolar to second molar of the upper and lower jaws, and a pressure-sensitive sensor was placed on the mandibular splint to measure the chewing force during mastication of food between the splints. Gummy jelly and cheese were used as test foods, and the subjects were asked to voluntarily masticate each food until they felt they could swallow it. Output values from the pressure-sensitive sensor until the final mastication were recorded on a PC. This study showed that chewing force measurement can be performed chairside and is useful for evaluating masticatory function.

Free Research Field

補綴歯科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年の咀嚼力に関連する研究として、高齢者の咀嚼機能と栄養状態や脳機能、身体機能との関連、咀嚼力向上を目指した食育支援プログラムに関する研究などがみられる。これらの研究では、咀嚼力の指標として咀嚼力判定ガムの色調変化を用いた方法や、検査用チューインガムまたはグミゼリーからの糖溶出量の測定、デンタルプレスケールによる咬合力測定、摂食可能食品アンケートによる咀嚼スコア法などが用いられているが、本研究のように、直接、咀嚼力を測定する方法を用いた研究はない。最近はCAD/CAM冠に代表される新しい歯冠修復法が普及しており、新規材料の耐久性などを検討する上でも咀嚼力を把握することは重要である。