Oral function and vertical jump height among healthy older people in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: Vertical jump height and oral function affect the general muscle condition. This study aimed to evaluate the association between vertical jump height and oral function among healthy older individuals. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: Cross-sectional analytic study. PARTICIPANTS: 231 independent older people (mean age, 74.4 ± 5.6 years) who participated in the Kyoto Elders Physical Fitness Measurement Research Project. Individuals with partial or complete edentulousness who did not use a prosthetic device or complained of oral/maxillofacial pain were excluded from the study. INTERVENTIONS: Grip strength was measured using a Smedley Hand Dynamometer. To measure masticatory performance, the participants were instructed to chew a gummy jelly on their habitual chewing side (left or right) for 20 s. Occlusal force, contact area, and pressure were also assessed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome variable was vertical jump height. The predictor variables were physical status (age, body mass index, and grip strength), oral status (number of present teeth and denture use), and oral function (masticatory performance, occlusal force, occlusal contact area, occlusal pressure, and tongue pressure). These relationships were evaluated with univariate analysis, and then multiple regression analysis was performed with age as the covariate for each male and female participant. RESULTS: Vertical jump height was significantly associated with grip strength in both men and women. Moreover, in women, it was associated with masticatory performance, occlusal force, and occlusal contact area. CONCLUSIONS: Vertical jump height was closely associated with oral function among healthy older women.

Manometric evaluation of oral function with a hand-held balloon probe.

Tongue pressure measured with a disposable hand-held balloon probe has been used for assessing tongue function; however, no diagnostic standard for assessing other oral functions exists currently. In this study, to develop a method for multifactorial manometric evaluation of oral functions, 20 men and 20 women (21-32 years of age) were instructed to apply 7-s maximal voluntary muscular effort on a hand-held balloon probe placed against the anterior and lateral parts of the palate, buccal surface of the molars on the habitual chewing side and labial surface of the anterior teeth for measuring anterior and posterior tongue, cheek and lip pressures (LPs), respectively. Intra-session reproducibility was determined by three repeated measurements, and associations between the obtained and the conventional data on oral diadochokinesis were tested. The men exhibited higher values of all the pressure types. Further, both genders showed a positive correlation between anterior and posterior tongue pressures (PTPs) (P < 0·05), but only the women exhibited positive correlations between anterior tongue and cheek pressures, cheek and PTPs, anterior tongue and LPs, and cheek and LPs (P < 0·05). No statistically significant correlation was found between the pressures and the number of syllabic articulations, except between LP and the number of /pa/ articulations in the women (r = 0·524, P < 0·05). In conclusion, the balloon probe method enables objective manometric evaluation of oral functions and could be an effective tool for clinical epidemiological studies and evidence-based decision-making in nursing care.

Dynamic viscoelastic properties of vinyl polysiloxane denture soft lining materials.

The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamic viscoelastic properties of seven commercially available vinyl polysiloxane denture soft lining materials. Five rectangular specimens (2 x 10 x 30 mm) were prepared from each material. The complex modulus E* (MPa) and loss tangent (tan delta) of each specimen were determined with a non-resonance forced vibration method using an automatic dynamic viscoelastometer at 1 Hz after 1 day of dry storage, and after 1, 30, 60, 90 and 180 days of wet storage at 37 degrees C. All data were analysed using one-way anova and Bonferroni/Dunn's test for multiple comparisons with a significance level of P < 0.01. All materials varied widely in terms of viscoelasticities and showed both an increase in E* and a decrease in tan delta at 1 Hz after the 1-day wet storage. After 60 days of wet storage, both E* and tan delta did not change significantly. The stiffer materials (>30% filler content) with high E* values (>2.00 MPa) showed elastic behaviour with tan delta values of around 0.03. The softer materials (6% filler content) with high tan delta values (initial value > 0.10) showed viscous behaviour and were easily affected by water absorption after the 1-day wet storage. It can be concluded that for the proper selection of vinyl polysiloxane denture soft lining materials, it is very important to evaluate the viscoelastic properties after 60 days of wet storage.

Effects of tooth loss and denture wear on tongue-tip motion in elderly dentulous and edentulous people.

The purpose of this study was to clarify quantitatively the differences in tongue-tip motion among the dentulous elderly people and also among the elderly edentulous, both with and without their dentures and, to identify the influence of tooth loss and denture wear on tongue-tip motion. Fourteen young dentulous people, 12 elderly dentulous people and 13 elderly edentulous people participated in this study. Subjects were asked to swallow a 10 mL barium sulfate solution three times. The elderly edentulous people were asked to swallow the solution while wearing dentures and with dentures removed. Functional swallowing was recorded on cine-film with a digital subtraction angiography system. Lateral cinefluorography images were obtained from seated subjects. Using a cine-projector, the movements of the tongue surface were traced as dots and lines frame by frame on a single tracing sheet within a definite period of time from the beginning of the oral phase to the end of the pharyngeal phase. With counting the number of 'trajectories' of tongue-tip motion, tongue movements were classified as 'stable' and 'hyperactive' types. The results was that significantly more 'hyperactive' type subjects were found among the elderly edentulous who were not wearing dentures (12 of 13) compared with the dentulous young (1 of 14), the elderly dentulous (1 of 13) or the elderly edentulous wearing dentures (1 of 13) (P < 0.001). The tongue-tip motion for the 'hyperactive' type was very complex and the tongue-tip anchoring against the palate was always instable.

Comparative evaluation of chewing function with removable partial dentures and fixed prostheses supported by the single-crystal sapphire implant in the Kennedy Class II partially edentulous mandible.

Differential chewing function with removable partial dentures (RPDs) and fixed prostheses supported by the single-crystal sapphire implant was evaluated in five subjects with Kennedy Class II partially edentulous mandibles by means of electromyography. Rehabilitation with the single-crystal sapphire implant resulted in regular chewing patterns with a low variation coefficient and higher activity of chewing-side masticatory muscles compared to RPD rehabilitation. This difference in chewing function between the two rehabilitation modalities could be the result of differences in stability of occlusion and neurophysiologic feedback systems.

Dynamic viscoelastic properties of antimicrobial tissue conditioners containing silver-zeolite.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of including the antimicrobial silver-zeolite (SZ) on the dynamic viscoelastic properties of various tissue conditioners. METHODS: The dynamic viscoelastic properties of five commercially available tissue conditioners: Visco-gel (VG), GC Soft-Liner (SL), FITT (FT), SR-Ivoseal (IV) and Shofu Tissue Conditioner (TC) containing SZ were evaluated after 1 and 28 days of water- and artificial saliva immersions with the use of complex modulus and loss tangent parameters. Values for these two parameters for each tissue conditioner were statistically analyzed by one- and two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni's test. RESULTS: Complex modulus and loss tangent values of TC were not significantly different among specimens containing 0, 2, 5 and 10 wt.%-SZ, respectively. In FT and TC containing 2 wt.%-SZ, these values were not significantly different between 1 and 28 days in both water- and saliva immersions. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that incorporating SZ does not affect TC's inherent dynamic viscoelastic properties, while the other tissue conditioners investigated may be found to have changed viscoelastic properties as a consequence of the inclusion of SZ.

[Tooth tapping frequency of young and elderly subjects].

Tooth tapping frequency was measured in young (21-29 years) and elderly (61-67 years) subjects. They were asked to continue the maximal frequent tapping during 1 min., and their mandibular movement were measured with a Mandibular Kinesiograph. The results are as follows: 1. Each phase of closing, occluding, opening and cycle was prolonged at the terminal of the 1 min. tapping. That is, tapping frequency decreased. Young subjects had 4.6 Hz tapping frequency and 2.7 Hz for elderly subjects. 2. Although the opening phase per cycle and the closing were not changed in spite of the tapping continuity, the occluding one increased at the terminal of the 1 min. tapping. 3. No difference existed between the young subjects and elderly in the maximal velocity of the mandibular movement at the opening and closing. Opening velocity was larger than closing velocity at the young subjects.

[Electromyographic study on masticatory function of the telescope denture wearers in the Kennedy Class II mandible].

Masticatory function of 10 telescope denture wearers in the Kennedy class II mandible patients was evaluated with electromyography. Electromyographic activity during mastication with kamaboko and peeled raw carrot was recorded from bilateral masseter and the anterior part of temporal muscles at each interval: Before treatment, immediately after denture insertion and 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks after respectively. Mean of duration, interval and cycle of EMG activities, coefficient of variation and average variation were calculated. The results were as follows: 1. Means of duration and cycle times decreased immediately to 2 weeks after denture insertion. 2. EMG activities during raw carrot chewing became regular immediately to 2 weeks after denture insertion, and within 4 weeks in kamaboko chewing. These results suggest that telescope dentures would be adapted to stomatognathic system within short period after denture insertion.

[A study on mandibular incisal point movement of TM disorder patients].

In order to establish diagnostic and treatment system for temporomandibular (TM) disorder patients, data were collected on mandibular border and tapping movements at incisive point and compared with those from the subjects without any TM disorders. Significant differences on the ratio of left and right sides of maximum lateral deviation, maximum opening amount and length of pathway of lateral border movement were clearly obtained, the values of maximum speed and acceleration of closing phase in tapping movement obtained from TM disorder patients were also different significantly from those in the control subjects. These findings suggests that those measured indices in this study would be useful for diagnosis of TM disorders.

Post-impression preparation to prevent fracture to isolated abutments with extensive bone loss in master casts.

A post-impression preparation technique can be used for preventing fracture of isolated abutments in master casts with extensive bone loss. This technique involves using a sharp knife to trim the impression obliquely at the clinical cervical line, creating a 1- to 2-mm-width bevel, followed by the insertion of a dowel pin into the abutment for reinforcement. This technique enlarges the abutments' diameter at the clinical cervical line and increases the resistance to breakage without altering the shape of critical areas.

Accurate procedure for transferring a cast replacement clasp arm to a removable partial denture.

This article describes a simple, quick and accurate procedure to replace a broken bar-type clasp with a new clasp arm. This procedure involves a resin matrix that transfers a new clasp arm from a working cast to a removable partial denture. This simple procedure enables quick and precise replacement of a broken clasp arm.

A method for quantifying overall satisfaction of complete denture patients.

Reproducible and quantitative evaluation of patient satisfaction with their complete dentures is of great importance for preoperative diagnosis, treatment planning and assessment of complete denture treatment outcome. This study attempted (1) to clarify the degree of contribution of various factors to overall satisfaction, and (2) to develop a method for quantitative assessment of overall satisfaction with complete dentures. Twelve satisfaction factors and a three-grade scale were used to assess 302 complete denture patients. The contribution of each grade of the 12 factors to the overall satisfaction level was determined by multiple regression analysis. Seven factors were highly correlated to the overall satisfaction. Based on the level of contribution by these seven significant factors, a scoring method for satisfaction was established. Category scores for these factors were calculated and the sum of the category scores was converted to an integer between 0 and 100. The resulting quantification score was closely correlated with overall satisfaction. A protocol for scoring overall satisfaction was developed based on the scientifically analysed contribution of each satisfaction factor.

Reproducibility of tooth tapping rhythm in young and elderly dentate subjects.

The reproducibility of tooth tapping frequencies was measured in young and elderly dentate subjects. Six rates of tapping, i.e. 40, 60, 90, 120, 160 and 200 times per min, were practised to the accompaniment of a metronome for 15 s before recording. After a 15-s break, subjects were asked to reproduce the same rate of tapping without metronome accompaniment, and these movements were recorded. It was determined that the young subjects regulated tooth tapping frequencies by controlling velocity of mandibular movement. On the other hand, the elderly subjects regulated tooth tapping frequency by controlling opening width.

Handy measurement for tongue motion and coordination with laryngeal elevation at swallowing.

At the oral stage of swallowing, the tongue plays a major role and proper tongue performance is necessary to form the bolus and transfer it to the pharynx. For the present study we built a prototype device for safe and handy objective estimation of tongue motion and coordination with laryngeal elevation at swallowing. The device records tongue pressure by means of two strain gauge pressure transducers aligned 20 mm apart on a brass strap placed along the palatal midline. Laryngeal vibration is recorded with piezo-electric acceleration transducers. Time differences between pressure onset at the anterior and posterior transducers and the first spike from laryngeal vibration are measured. Ten healthy subjects were asked five times to swallow 5 mL of water. Pressure onset at the anterior transducer preceded posterior pressure by 294 +/- 164 ms. Given the distance between the transducers, the tongue contracted (squeezed) at a speed of 93 +/- 60 mm s(-1). Laryngeal vibration occurred 671 +/- 175 ms after the onset of anterior pressure. There was considerable variation in these parameters between subjects. Though the data is limited, the device successfully and easily revealed certain aspects of tongue motion and coordination with laryngeal elevation.

A short-term evaluation of the effectiveness of stabilization-type occlusal splint therapy for specific symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome.

To clarify the short-term effectiveness of stabilization-type occlusal splint therapy, a specific symptom approach was used toward 30 temporomandibular joint dysfunction patients with more than two major symptoms (temporomandibular joint and/or masticatory muscle pain, temporomandibular joint sounds, and limitation of mandibular movement). Eighty-seven percent of the patients with pain responded with this therapy and more than 50% had complete relief of pain 4 weeks after insertion of the splint. Temporomandibular joint sounds and limitation of mandibular movement responded more slowly than pain. These results suggest that the stabilization-type occlusal splint should be selected as a first choice among several therapies and that temporomandibular joint pain is particularly susceptible to this therapy.