Assessment Tools for Masticatory Function in Periodontitis Patients: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Oral Health
• Periodontology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Periodontitis significantly impacts masticatory function.
• Accurate assessment of masticatory function is crucial for treatment planning and evaluating outcomes in periodontitis patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map existing evidence on assessment tools for masticatory function in periodontitis patients.
• To examine the methodologies used for assessing masticatory function.
• To identify elements of subjective masticatory function evaluation.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review methodology was employed.
• Systematic literature searches were conducted in Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus.
• Studies reporting objective or subjective masticatory function assessment in periodontitis patients were included.

Main Results:

• Forty-five studies were analyzed, revealing heterogeneity in assessment approaches, tool types, and measurement methods.
• Most studies used a single assessment tool; few employed composite objective or combined objective/subjective assessments.
• Seven elements of subjective masticatory function were identified, but validation status was unclear for all subjective tools.

Conclusions:

• Diverse methodologies exist for assessing masticatory function in periodontitis.
• Further research is necessary to determine the clinical utility of current masticatory function assessment tools for periodontitis patients.