The primary objective of this study is to establish the effect of the frequency of masticatory side switches on masticatory performance. We also want to know the effect of the frequency of masticatory side switches on the masticatory rhythm. Twenty-eight healthy volunteers will undertake masticatory tests, following a series of instructions given at the moment. These volunteers will take a re-test in two-weeks time. The sequence of these tests will be randomized in such a way that, each participant will initially perform an established sequence of "freestyle, only-right, and only-left" masticatory tests, and then will carry out one of the 6 possible combinations of "A1, A3, and A5". These tests will be recorded on video to assess, on slow playback, the change of the chewing side, and the masticatory rhythm.Masticatory performance will be determined by sieving the silicone particles.
This crossover intervention study aims to assess the effect of the degree of alternance of the chewing side on various aspects of masticatory function, including masticatory performance and rhythm. Twenty-eight volunteers will take part, recruited for convenience, among friends and relatives of the teachers and students of the Degree of Dentistry of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Barcelona. These individuals will perform masticatory tests and, after a period of two weeks, will repeat them as a re-test. Each participant will perform 6 tests, each consisting of 5 assays, chewing a small latex bag containing a few silicone tablets (2 g) during 20 masticatory cycles. One test involves freestyle mastication in which the participant will be asked to chew the latex bag naturally. Two tests involve chewing the bag unilaterally (i.e., right-hand side in one and left-hand side in the other) and the order of their assays will be varied. For the last three tests, the participant will change the chewing side 1 (A1), 3 (A3), or 5 (A5) times respectively; the sequence of the assays will be randomized. The masticatory performance will be determined by the "median particle size" (MPS), and the masticatory rhythm will be assessed through the masticatory frequency as the ratio of masticatory cycle number to masticatory time. The control variables will include age and sex.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
The participant will be asked to chew the latex bag naturally.
The participant will be asked to chew the latex bag unilaterally on the right-side.
The participant will be asked to chew the latex bag unilaterally on the left-side.
The participant will be asked to chew the latex bag changing the side once.
The participant will be asked to chew the latex bag changing the side three times.
The participant will be asked to chew the latex bag changing the side five times.
School of Dentistry, University of Barcelona
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
Masticatory performance
The masticatory performance will be calculated for each test (free, only-right, only-left, and guided tests). The particles from the 5 assays (10g) will be allowed to dry for 24 h. They will then be passed through a series of 8 sieves of different sizes (sizes are: 0.25, 0.425, 0.85, 2, 2.8, 3.15, 4 and 5.6mm). To allow the particles to pass through the sieves, they will be stirred for 6 min. The weight of the remaining pieces of silicone in each sieve will be weighed and the "Median Particle Size" (MPS) will be calculated using the Rosin Rammler formula. The MPS or (X50) is the aperture in mm of a theoretic sieve through which 50% of the weight of the particles would pass, therefore, the smaller the value of MPS, the more masticatory performance the individual has.
Time frame: 1 hour 30 minutes
Masticatory Frequency
Masticatory frequency will be assessed as the ratio of masticatory cycle number to masticatory time (in cycles per minute).
Time frame: 1 hour 30 minutes
Side Switch Index
The number of side switches during the 20 masticatory cycles for each assay will be determined using slow playback of the video recordings of the freestyle mastication test. In the case that this switch is a change of side from left to right or right to left, we will assign a value of "1". If this switch consists of a change from the right or left to central or vice versa, we will assign a value of "0.5". If there is no change of side, the value assigned to this chewing cycle will be "0". To determine the Side Switch Index, the number of side changes will be divided by the maximum number of changes possible during these 5 assays (95).
Time frame: 1 hour 30 minutes
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