Abstract
Masticatory performance of denture wearers was
compared with that of the normal subjects by analyzing
the behavior of the mechanical properties
of the bolus. The index of the ability to comminute
bolus was described as the total number of masticatory
strokes until swallowing and therefore this
was chosen as the fi rst index. Principal Component
Analysis (PCA) on the data of six parameters; 80%
energy, elasticity, viscosity, hardness, adhesiveness,
and cohesiveness, indicated that the cohesiveness
was independent of the other parameters
and should be evaluated as the second index of the
ability to dilute bolus with saliva. Two factor scores
of the other parameters were calculated using the
standardized scoring coeffi cient obtained from
PCA and factor analysis on the data of the normal
subjects, which realized to compare two groups
on the same plane of factor scores. The movement
of factor scores on the factor plane would indicate
the total behavior of mechanical properties
of bolus and was chosen as the third index of the
ability to knead bolus. Triangle Diagram (TD) was
completed by using these three indices. On the
TD, all the subjects were lower level at least in one
index than the normal subjects in all the foods.
