Investigating factors of oral function decline in the elderly through long-term longitudinal study

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K17038
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57050:Prosthodontics-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Mihara Yusuke 大阪大学, 大学院歯学研究科, 助教 (30779096)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 咀嚼能力 / 臼歯部咬合支持 / 高齢者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The subjects were 488 of the 864 participants in the SONIC study, aged 72-74 years, who were followed up. Participants were divided into three groups according to the number of occlusal supports in the left and right premolars and molars. The relationship between occlusal support and masticatory ability was analyzed longitudinally using a linear mixed-effects model. The results showed that gender, occlusal force, number of unprostained missing teeth, aging, and changes in molar occlusal support were significantly associated with masticatory ability. Furthermore, the interaction term between change in molar occlusal support and aging was a significant explanatory variable for decreased masticatory ability. These results indicate that loss of molar occlusal support is a major factor in the decline of masticatory ability.

Free Research Field

歯学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

咬合支持の喪失は、咀嚼能力の低下に関連すると考えられている。しかしながら、これまでの先行研究は、横断的研究に基づくものであった。そこで、本研究では、地域在住の高齢者の咬合支持の変化と咀嚼能力との関連を縦断的に検討した。
その結果、臼歯部咬合支持の喪失は、咀嚼能力低下に関連することが明らかとなり、高齢者の咀嚼能力維持には、臼歯部咬合支持の喪失予防が重要であることが示唆された。臼歯部咬合支持を維持することは、食物摂取の多様性と栄養状態の維持に寄与し、高齢者のQOLを向上させると考えられる。歯科医療従事者は、臼歯部咬合咬合支持崩壊のリスクを評価するために、歯の状態を注意深く検査する必要がある。