Chewing ability in patients restored with cross-arch fixed partial dentures.

The chewing ability of subjects with cross-arch fixed partial dentures was compared with that of subjects with complete healthy dentitions and complete-denture wearers. Chewing ability was expressed in terms of the number of chewing strokes, chewing time, chewing efficiency, and chewing performance. Almonds were used as the test food. In terms of chewing efficiency, that is, comminution in relation to time, subjects with cross-arch fixed partial dentures exhibited a chewing ability inferior to that of subjects with complete healthy dentition but superior to that of complete denture wearers. However, in terms of chewing performance, which describes the degree of pulverization before the time of swallow, chewing ability in subjects with cross-arch fixed partial dentures was almost as good as in subjects with complete, healthy dentitions and superior to that of complete denture wearers.