Abstract
In order to clarify the relationship between the amount of mandibular movement and masticatory efficiency the relationship between the amount of glucose secretion and the gape and masticatory width of the mandibular incisal point when chewing gumi-jelly for the 50 healthy subjects was investigated and the following results were obtained.
1. As the gape increased the amount of glucose secretion increased also and a highly significant correlation was found between the two.
2. For the group with less than 4mm masticatory width, the amount of glucose secretion increased as the masticatory width increased and a highly significant correlation was found between the two.
3. For the group with greater than 4mm masticatory width, the amount of glucose secretion decreased as the masticatory width increased and a significantly negative correlation was found between the two.
4. From these results it was concluded that there was a correlation between masticatory efficiency and the vertical mandibular movement during mastication. For the lateral movement of less than 4mm there was a correlation between the lateral movement and masticatory efficiency, on the other hand for the lateral movement of greater than 4mm there was a negative correlation between the two.
