Mastication (functional oral biology)

Question 1

state the roles of mastication

Answer 1

• break down of food
• stimulation of salivary flow
• growth and maintenance of oro-facial tissues

Question 2

explain the importance of mastication

Answer 2

• very important for red meat
• quite important for white meat
• not necessary for fish, rice, egg, bread or cheese

Question 3

how many teeth do you need for functional mastication?

Answer 3

• 5-5 sufficient for mastication (20 teeth)
• below 5-5 mastication becomes dysfunctional
• no need to replace all posterior teeth

Question 4

explain the mechanism of digestion

Answer 4

• stage 1 transport: food from lip to posterior teeth
• mastication
• stage 2 transport: food from posterior teeth to the back of the tongue
• swallowing

Question 5

explain the chewing cycle

Answer 5

• duration: 0.5-1.2 secs

stages:

• opening (teeth wide apart)
• fast closing
• slow closing (food breakdown)
• intercuspal (teeth completely touching)

Question 6

what are bennet angle and bennet movement

Answer 6

bennet angle: the non-working sides’ condyle moves inferiorly, forwards and medially, creating the bennet angle

bennet movement: the working sides condyle rotates around a vertical axis and moves slightly laterally (known as bennet movement)

Question 7

explain the control of mastication

Answer 7

(all stimulated by peripheral feedback)
higher centres (cerebral cortex)
to control of neural pattern 
to masticatory muscle motor neurones 
to masticatory muscles