Masticatory performance parameters for young adults with "normal" occlusion

Objective To develop reference data for young men/women on the variability of parameters used for the evaluation of masticatory function with an artificial test food. Methods Subjects included were 200 18-25-year olds with complete dentition and "normal" occlusion. An artificial test food was chewed in two tests (20 cycles and swallowing threshold), during which sequences/cycles were counted and timed. Medium-particle-size (MPS) and broadness of particle distribution were calculated evaluating the chewed material. Reference data was based on order statistics. Sex-specific 95% reference limits with 90% confidence intervals were calculated with RefVal-v2.1-software. Coefficients of variation were also obtained. Results Tables with reference data for young men/women chewing an artificial test food were constructed with the data collected displaying ample variability: MPS after 20 cycles anywhere between 0.7-3.5 mm or 14-84 cycles to deem the test food ready to be swallowed (C.V. 43% males/34% females). Conclusion There is much variability in masticatory parameters for young adults with good oral health.