Abstract
To investigate the alimentary conditions of out-patients who underwent implant operation, a questionnaire survey was carried out on foods ingested by 12 patients for five days following endosseous dental implant operation. The masticatory function of each patient was also evaluated by score, using the chewing ability score of Satoh et al. (1988).
Regardless of the number of missing teeth, the daily total calorie intake was approximately 800 kcal until three days after operation, indicating that the amount of food was not enough to supply the daily requirement of calories. In patients with a few missing teeth, the daily calorie intake reached to approximately 1,800 kcal at four or five days after operation. In patients with a large number of missing teeth, however, the daily total calorie intake remained at approximately 850 kcal until five days after operation.
The chewing ability score was less than 40 even five days after operation in patients with a large number of missing teeth. In patients with a few missing teeth, the score remained at approximately 40 until three days after operation but increased to 80 from the fourth day.
Based on these results, an original dietary guidance program was designed using thick liquefied food (Sanet-V, Sanwa Kagaku Kogyo Sho) and blender-processing food (Sanwa Kagaku Kogyo Sho). On actual application of this program to patients who underwent implant operation as outpatients, excellent results were obtained because the amount of heat and/or nutritive elements can be easily adjusted to the conditions of patients. Furthermore, application to the postoperative management of nutrition is also easy as viewed from the preserviability and cooking simplicity.
