Quality of mastication: Approach from food phenotype, sensation, and brain activity

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24390436
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Prosthetic dentistry
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: ICHIKAWA Tetsuo 徳島大学, ヘルスバイオサイエンス研究部, 教授 (90193432)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAGAO Kan 徳島大学, 大学院ヘルスバイオサイエンス研究部, 准教授 (30227988) ; WATANABE Megumi 徳島大学, 病院, 講師 (40380050) ; HONDA Eiichi 徳島大学, 大学院ヘルスバイオサイエンス研究部, 教授 (30192321) ; HONGAMA Seiko 徳島大学, 大学院ヘルスバイオサイエンス研究部, 助教 (60380078) ; NAKAMICHI Atsuko 徳島大学, 大学院ヘルスバイオサイエンス研究部, 講師 (20567341)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ITO Teruaki 徳島大学, 大学院ソシオテクノサイエンス研究部, 准教授 (90284306)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 咀嚼の質 / 質問表 / 光トポグラフィー / 食品テクスチャー / 下顎運動 / 筋電図 / 一口量

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to validate the concept “Quality of Mastication (QoL)” I have proposed before. We surveyed materials and methods to measure “QoM” exhaustively, examined the influence of “QoM” on brain and gnathological functions, and then tried to establish the assessments of QoM on prosthetic dentistry.
The following results were obtained: development of a new questionnaire with 18 question items, chronological changes of food bolus properties through mastication process and just before swallowing, a proposal of behavior modification to reduce one mouthful volume, the difference of tactile ability between teeth and implants, and influence of various stimulations on cerebral blood flows of prefrontal area. It proves that concept of masticatory efficiency alone is not enough to evaluate mastication, but the evaluation on the part of QoM is required before and after prosthodontic treatments.

Free Research Field

歯科補綴学