Avaliação da função mastigatória de pacientes reabilitados por próteses totais muco-suportadas

Abstract

This study compared the masticatory performance in individuais with conventional complete dentures and in subjects with complete natural dentition. Furthermore, the relation between performance and masticatory ability, prosthesis quality and time of prosthesis in use was investigated. Twenty one patients with complete dentures and fifteen with complete natural dentition participated in this study. The subjects made 20 and 40 chewing strokes in portions of 17 Optocal cubes and these particles were separated in a system of eight sieves. Then, based on the weight of Optocal retained in each sieve, the Geometric Mean Diameter (DGM) of the chewed particles were calculated. The masticatory ability and the subjective assessment of the prosthesis quality were verified by analogical visual scale and a structured questionnaire. After 20 and 40 chewing strokes, the patients with complete dentures showed significantly higher mean of DGM of the chewed particles than those of the individuais with complete natural dentition. The performance was 12% and 31% after 20 and 40 masticatory cycles, respectively, in rehabilitated patients in relation to individuais with natural dentition. The median of DGM of the chewed particles of patients with dentures assessed good stability and retention didn’t Show statistically significant differences when compared with that prosthesis considered acceptable. The patients that have been using complete dentures for a period up to six months had achieved significantly more particle-size reduction than subjects that were using prosthesis for less than six months. Finally, relation between masticatory performance and masticatory ability was not statistically significant, as also the relation between masticatory performance and prosthesis quality.