Bengt Öwall

Masticatory and Nutritional Aspects on Fixed and Removable Partial Dentures

The aim of the present study was to evaluate mastication, food selection and nutritional aspects in two groups of persons restored with fixed (FPD, N=44) and removable (RPD, N=40) partial dentures respectively. The subjects were part of a cohort study of 67–68-year-old men living in Malmö, Sweden. The two groups were very similar regarding social factors and the inclusion criteria were chosen so that the groups were very equal regarding oral factors, apart from the difference in fixed and removable partial dentures. The number of natural teeth, number of replaced teeth and occlusal contacts did not differ significantly between the two groups, nor did the distribution of maxillary and mandibular dentures. A comprehensive examination of several general health factors included a home interview of dietary habits. A clinical examination included a 20-minute oral examination with registration of number of teeth, FPDs, RPDs, and occlusal contacts. It also included masticatory tests: chewing gum colour mixing, chewing gum bolus shaping, and swallowing threshold (number of strokes to the first swallow of an almond). The consumption of hard and soft foods was revealed by the dietary interview as well as the intake of energy and some nutrients. There was a significant difference between the groups regarding the capacity to mix the two-coloured chewing gum, to shape the chewing gum bolus and in the consumption of hard foods. There was no difference in the swallowing threshold and the consumption of soft foods. The intake of energy and nutrients did not differ significantly between the groups. The differences in masticatory capacity found thus seem to have little, if any, effect on the factors of importance for general health. A reasonable explanation for the differences found is that artificial teeth that are well retained, such as FPDs, make more active chewing possible than do removable, and often somewhat loose-fitting partial dentures.

Mastication with and without removable partial dentures: An intraindividual study

The chewing of 22 subjects, with a total of 27 removable partial dentures (RPD) that had been used for more than 6 months, was analyzed by four different methods. The study design was an intraindividual comparison of chewing, with and without the RPDs. Chewing tests were a color mixture of two-colored gums, chewing gum bolus shaping, comminution of Optosil® silicone tablets, and number of chewing strokes to first swallow of an almond. The participants were also asked some standardized questions about their eating, biting, and chewing capacity. There was no significant difference in efficiency as measured by chewing gum color mixing, chewing gum shape, and pulverization of Optosil between chewing with and without the RPDs. Significantly more strokes were needed to swallow an almond without than with the RPD in place. With their RPDs in place, all subjects could chew a sandwich and an apple, and all but one could chew whole meat. The study shows that the chewing process should preferably not be analyzed by one method only.