Usefulness and Validity of a Jaw-Closing Force Meter in Older Adults
Mina Kawashima,
Kanako Yoshimi,
Kazuharu Nakagawa,
Kohei Yamaguchi,
Miki Ishii,
Shohei Hasegawa,
Rieko Moritoyo,
Ayako Nakane,
Haruka Tohara
Affiliations
Mina Kawashima
Department of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Division of Gerontology and Gerodontology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
Kanako Yoshimi
Department of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Division of Gerontology and Gerodontology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
Kazuharu Nakagawa
Department of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Division of Gerontology and Gerodontology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
Kohei Yamaguchi
Department of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Division of Gerontology and Gerodontology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
Miki Ishii
Department of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Division of Gerontology and Gerodontology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
Shohei Hasegawa
Department of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Division of Gerontology and Gerodontology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
Rieko Moritoyo
Department of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Division of Gerontology and Gerodontology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
Ayako Nakane
Department of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Division of Gerontology and Gerodontology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
Haruka Tohara
Department of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Division of Gerontology and Gerodontology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
We prototyped a new device with a soft and flexible pressure sensor to measure the force to close the mandible with or without occlusal support (jaw-closing force, JCF). This study aimed to clarify the practicality of this instrument. Healthy young and older adults with occlusal support were recruited. Intra- and inter-rater reliability of the JCF meter was examined using data from younger participants. Data regarding age, sex, body mass index, remaining teeth, and dentures of the older adults were obtained. Furthermore, the right and left JCFs were measured using a JCF meter; occlusal force was measured using an existing occlusal force-measuring device. Intra- and inter-rater correlation coefficients were significantly reproducible (0.691–0.811, p p p p = 0.038), and occlusal force (p = 0.043). The prototyped JCF meter can measure JCF with high reproducibility, reliability, and validity. Further, association with occlusal force, which is an existing index, was observed. This device could be used to measure the JCF with or without occlusal support as a new method of evaluating oral function in older adults.
