title: Mastication of model products in complete denture wearers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to define the characteristics of muscular activity in complete denture wearers and in dentate subjects during mastication of model foods differing in hardness but similar in terms of rheologically properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  The foodstuffs used in this study were laboratory-developed gumdrops demonstrating viscoelastic properties. The test foods cover a range of four hardness levels. The group of complete denture wearers included 15 subjects, while the control group included 9 subjects with normal dentition. Electromyograph (EMG) recordings were taken from the masseter and temporal muscles during mastication of the test foods. The results were evaluated by one-way and two-way ANOVA followed by means comparisons using a Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc test (alpha=0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preparing the same food bolus for swallowing required a greater number of masticatory cycles and a longer duration of mastication for complete denture wearers than for dentate subjects. In addition, complete denture wearers failed to increase EMG activity per cycle in response to hardness of the food.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Denture wearers experienced difficulties during mastication, as indicated by a decreased masticatory rate and the observed failure to increase EMG activity per cycle in response to increased food hardness. The increases in number of cycle and masticatory duration appear to be a response to this impaired masticatory function.
authors.affiliation: Univ Clermont 1, UFR Odontologie EA3847, Clermont-Ferrand F-63000, France.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Veyrune
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lassauzay
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicolas
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Peyron
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Woda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003824:Denture, Complete; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged