Development of a synthetic bolus using silicone elastomer for the study of masticatory efficiency.
BACKGROUND
Masticatory efficiency has been proposed as an outcome measure for prosthetic rehabilitation. However, no standardized method is available for this type of assessment.


OBJECTIVE
This study developed a normalized synthetic test food with reproducible physical and rheologic properties.


METHODS
Two silicone putties of different hardness were studied. The texture of each putty varied by the addition of silicone oil. Rheologic characteristics of 7 samples were compared with the same properties of 5 natural food substances.


RESULTS
Seven varieties of synthetic bolus were produced, each of which were of a different hardness, modulus of elasticity, and tensile strength. The natural food substances demonstrated great rheologic variability. The synthetic bolus samples exhibited a texture profile approaching that of natural foods. The principal difference between the 2 groups tested was that of the homogeneity of the silicone samples.


CONCLUSIONS
None of the samples reproduced all the rheologic properties of the natural food substances; however, the results showed that their characteristics were sufficiently similar for the silicone samples to be suggested as a reproducible alternative for the testing of masticatory efficiency.
Compagnon
D
D
Department of Prosthetics, Faculty of Dentistry of Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Veyrune
J L
JL
Morenas
M
M
Faulks
D
D
D001939:Bread; D002099:Cacao; D002611:Cheese; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D018552:Daucus carota; D003778:Dentures; D004548:Elasticity; D005502:Food; D005638:Fruit; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D008461:Meat Products; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012212:Rheology; D019685:Rosales; D012826:Silicone Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012827:Silicone Oils / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength
D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D012827:Silicone Oils