Masticatory efficiency and dental state. A comparison between two methods.

The masticatory efficiency of subjects with all natural teeth, with complete upper and partial lower dentures, and with complete dentures was measured. Two different methods were used. The results showed significant differences among the groups irrespective of the method used. The subjects with dentures compensated for decreasing masticatory efficiency by using more strokes when chewing until swallowing. Great interindividual differences were found within groups with similar dental states. There was no or weak correlation between the two methods. A value from one method corresponded to a large range of values in the other method and vice versa.