Masticatory efficiency in children with primary dentition.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate masticatory efficiency in children with normal primary occlusion and malocclusion and to correlate efficiency with body variables.


METHODS
Thirty children were divided into three groups: Group I with normal occlusion (n = 10), Group II with posterior crossbite (n = 10) and Group III with anterior open bite (n = 10). They chewed standardized silicone tablets for 20 strokes and the optical scanning system was used to calculate the particle size (area and perimeter). Results were compared among the groups. Body weight and height were correlated with masticatory efficiency.


RESULTS
Group I fragmented the tablets into a greater number of particles with smaller sizes than Groups II and III, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). There was no difference between the children with crossbite and children with open bite. Correlation coefficients between body variables and masticatory efficiency were weak (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Occlusion is a factor of influence on masticatory process.
Gavião
M B
MB
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Dental School of Piracicaba, State University of Campinas. mbgaviao@fop.unicamp.br
Raymundo
V G
VG
Sobrinho
L C
LC
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D004526:Efficiency / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D024343:Open Bite / Q000503:physiopathology; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation; D010316:Particle Size; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012828:Silicones; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous
D012828:Silicones