Oral Processing: A Dental Perspective

Abstract

The dental aspects of oral processing include the systematic size reduction of food particles, the oral physiology of mastication, the biomechanics of the masticatory act, and the subjective and objective methods of assessing mastication. The main body parts involved in mastication are the dentition, the temporomaandibular joints, the masticatory muscles, the tongue and other accessory organs, the saliva, and the neuronal control of all these parts. Mastication is typically described as a four-step procedure, starting with the transport of food from the front teeth to the molars (stage I transport), followed by two discrete, but coordinated, actions (mastication) that are repeated until a swallowable bolus is formed. Typical chewing cycles result from rhythmic jaw movements that reduce the food to a bolus via tooth intercuspation and strong jaw-closer muscle activity. The assessment of mastication is a complex task performed through both subjective and objective means. Changes in dentition status and ageing lead to serious changes in mastication, which may be reversible through prosthodontic interventions. Maintaining or incorporating teeth with an accentuated occlusal profile and an individualized occlusal concept may help aged masticatory systems to retain some of their initial effectiveness.