A SIMPLE METHOD FOR EVALUATING MASTICATORY PERFORMANCE USING A COLOR-CHANGEABLE CHEWING GUM

Purpose: This study investigated the usefulness of a newly developed c olor-changeable chewing gum for evaluating masticatory performance. Ma terials and Methods: The color changes of the gum after chewing were m easured using the La*b* color space defined by the Commission Interna tionale de I'Eclairage with a spectrophotometer. Numerical scores and a color scale were developed to easily evaluate color change. Numerica l scores were assigned corresponding to the degree of color change, an d a color scale was made by using the numerical scores. Four examiners graded the gum chewed by 18 fully dentate subjects by using the color scale. Results: As the number of chews increased, the degree of color change increased significantly. The percentages of correct answers by examiners using the color scale method ranged from 67% to 83%. Conclu sion: The results indicate that this simple method may be used to quan titatively evaluate masticatory performance and may be reliable enough to be used clinically.