Study on evaluation of masticatory function of complete denture wearers. Factors influencing masticatory function and proper test foods for evaluation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing the masticatory function and proper test foods for the evaluation of the masticatory ability of complete denture wearers. One hundred and forty-five edentulous patients participated in this study. The basal seat area, the present and new dentures and the maximal bite force of each patient were divided into several sections and scored. The masticatory ability of the patients was evaluated by the questionnaire on the masticatory aspects of 100 foods. The following conclusions were drawn from the data: 1. The score of the basal seat area, the quality of the dentures and the maximal bite force were associated with the masticatory ability. 2. The masticatory ability of the fifties were higher significantly than the other age groups. 3. The change of the masticatory ability when the patients wore new dentures was small in the fifties and the eighties. 4. The rate of change of the masticatory function between the present dentures and the new dentures was associated with the physical properties of foods.