Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate masticatory function of postoperative oral cancer patients via various methods to establish an appropriate for assessing functional states of the pateints.
Postoperative oral cancer patients, who had been treated at the First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Showa Dental Hospital, or Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Hannover, participated in this study along with controls: subjects with natural dentition and edentulous patients wearing conventional dentures, and non-tumor patients who had undergone implant therapy. Masticatory function was evaluated subjectively with a four-grade scale on masticatory satisfaction and Yamamoto's masticatory grade on diet. The balance of occlusal load and the area of occlusal contact were measured objectively with Occlusal Prescale. Chewing performance was also evaluated with the low-adhesive color-developing chewing gummethod. The relationship between subjective and objective methods were also investigated.
The results indicated that simulatneous evaluation with some subjective and objective methods, which coincided with the purpose and subjects of the study, reveals masticatory function of postoperative oral cancer patients appropriately.
