Usefulness of indicators for stability of masticatory movement path

PurposeTo clarify the usefulness of the standard deviation (SD) and SD divided by the opening distance (SD/OD) of the opening lateral, closing lateral, and vertical components of the masticatory path as indicators of the stability of masticatory movement path.MethodsFifty subjects masticated softened chewing gum on the unilateral side for 20 s, and the movement of the mandibular incisal point was recorded. For 10 cycles from the 5th cycle of 100 cases (50 subjects chewing on either side), a picture comprising each cycle path was displayed and classified subjectively into three categories (stable, unstable, and unknown) by three evaluators. The 18, 17, and 19 cases that were assessed as stable, unknown, and unstable were classified as Groups A, B, and C, respectively. For 10 cycles from the 5th cycle, the SD and SD/OD of the opening lateral, closing lateral, and vertical components representing the movement path as indicators for the stability of the path were calculated and compared among the three groups.ResultsThe SD and SD/OD of the opening lateral, closing lateral, and vertical components were small in Group A, increased in Group B, and increased further in Group C. Significant differences were observed among the groups. These differences were more apparent in the assessment using the SD/OD than in the assessment using the SD.ConclusionThe SD and SD/OD of the components representing the movement path were useful as indicators for the stability of the movement path and the SD/OD appeared to be particularly useful.