Masticatory efficiency in children with cerebral palsy

Purpose The purpose of this investigation was to compare quality of chewing in children with CP to the healthy controls, and determine whether the functional capacity of chewing units and overall dental health affect the quality of chewing. Methods A total of 86 were included in the investigation: 43 children with CP and 43 controls (13 girls aged 7–16 years and 30 boys aged 9–16 years) residents of the institutions for the children with special needs. Control group included the same number of children matched by age and gender for every child from the test group according to the pairing principle. The number of functional masticatory units was expressed through the number of healthy teeth and teeth with cavities which the patients could use for chewing. Masticatory efficiency assessment was determined by the method of chewed almond transparency after ten chewing cycles. The particles were passed through 12 sieves with diameter range from 0.6 to 7.2 mm. The masticatory efficiency was expressed with the number of sieves needed to pass 50% of the total almond mass. Results Healthy children had significantly more teeth in occlusal contact, while the DMF index did not differ significantly. Both groups had the same number of functional masticatory units. Children with CP had significantly poorer quality of chewing. Conclusion Children with CP had significantly poorer quality of chewing which is not affected by tooth functionality, but rather the primary condition.