Comparison of food particle distribution masticated by subjects wearing complete dentures and with natural teeth.

The sizes of soya particles masticated by 12 complete denture wearers and 10 subjects with natural dentition were directly measured by means of a graphic digitizer and computer, following a varied number of chewing strokes. It was found that the chewed particle size frequency distributions of the two groups tended to a state of normal logarithm distribution. Compared with the dentate subjects, the mean, 20th, 50th and 80th percentile of the particle sizes chewed by complete denture wearers were increased, whilst the distribution shapes were nearly identical. The results suggest that there are no qualitative differences in the manner in which the two groups break up food. Selection and breakage functions of complete denture wearers are decreased, and this could be related to the denture conditions and the change of oral state in such individuals.