抄録
The purpose of this study was to focus upon the effect of how habituation to removable prosthodontics had upon the pH curve of saliva.
An experimental palatal plate was inserted into 23 subjects with natural dentition for a period of three days. The saliva samples were obtained during the resting period before the insertion of the palatal plates at 1, 2, and 3 days with the palatal plates in place as well as 2 hours and 1 day after removal of the palatal plate. Each of the saliva samples were collected on a sampling sheet, with the pH being measured for a 15 minute period with the use of a plastic coverslip to block the volatilization of CO2 during the first minute. The pH values of the assayed samples were categorized into the following 3 stages; 1) Early pH Stage (pH1)-pH value measured after 1 minute, 2) Initial pH Differentiation Stage (DpHI)-pH value measured after 5 minutes minus the pH value of pHl, 3) Later pH Differentiation Stage (DpHL)-pH value measured after 15 minutes minus the pH value of DpHI.
A t-test was used to calculate differences from the respective control values and the average values of each stage obtained from 6 sessions. Furthermore, the subjects were asked whether they felt any physical disorder or problems in pronunciation by the experimental palatal plate during the session by a visual analogue scale (VAS).
1. In comparison to the control, the DpHI and the absolute value of pHL decreased after insertion of the experimental palatal plate, and began to recover to the original state after its removal.
2. Subjective VAS analysis revealed physical discomfort or problems in pronunciation to be similar to that of the DpHI stage.
3. These findings suggest that analysis of the pH curve of saliva, Particularly in the DpHI stages, can be a useful index in determining the extent of habituation to a palatal plate.
