[Dissertations 25 years after date 32. Physiological aspects of mastication]

Mastication is the first phase of the digestive process. It serves to reduce the size ofsolid food and to mix it with saliva so that it can be swallowed. The degree to which food is reduced in size depends on various factors, such as the masticatory force generated by the jaw muscles, the number and form of the (pre-)molars, the neuro-muscular control of the movements of the mandible and the quantity and composition of the saliva. If the mastication is to operate efficiently, form and function have to be properly balanced. Disturbances in function and abnormalities inform can lead to complaints and are often accompanied by a diminished fragmentation of the food. By investigating the fundamental mechanisms of the functional process, abnormalities can clinically be better understood.