抄録
Oral sensorimotor function is essential for mastication.
We hypothesized that palatal coverage
would disturb mastication and sensorimotor function.
Masticatory efficiency, which was expressed
by the declination rate of particle size, and oral
stereognosis ability (OSA) were measured for 20
dentate subjects. Both measurements were first
performed without an experimental palatal plate.
These measurements were then repeated with the
plate on the day of the plate insertion, then again
on the 3rd and 7th day. After 2 months, another
series of measurements for the OSA test were performed
without the plate with the same timecourse.
Masticatory efficiency significantly
decreased with the plate. OSA score, which continuously
increased during the experimental period,
showed no difference between with and without the
plate. Positive correlation between masticatory
efficiency and the OSA score was found only
without the plate. It was suggested that coordination
between mastication and the sensorimotor
function was disturbed by palatal coverage.
