Real-Time Continuous Monitoring of Oral Soft Tissue Pressure with a Wireless Mouthguard Device for Assessing Tongue Thrusting Habits
Hidekazu Matsumoto,
Keisuke Tomoto,
Gentaro Kawase,
Kenta Iitani,
Koji Toma,
Takahiro Arakawa,
Kohji Mitsubayashi,
Keiji Moriyama
Affiliations
Hidekazu Matsumoto
Department of Maxillofacial Orthognathics, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan
Keisuke Tomoto
Department of Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
Gentaro Kawase
Department of Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
Kenta Iitani
Department of Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
Koji Toma
Department of Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
Takahiro Arakawa
Department of Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
Kohji Mitsubayashi
Department of Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
Keiji Moriyama
Department of Maxillofacial Orthognathics, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan
In orthodontics, understanding the pressure of oral soft tissues on teeth is important to elucidate the cause and establish treatment methods. We developed a small wireless mouthguard (MG)-type device that continuously and unrestrainedly measures pressure, which had previously been unachieved, and evaluated its feasibility in human subjects. First, the optimal device components were considered. Next, the devices were compared with wired-type systems. Subsequently, the devices were fabricated for human testing to measure tongue pressure during swallowing. The highest sensitivity (51–510 g/cm2) with minimum error (CV 2 for normal and 201.17 ± 38.12 g/cm2 for simulated tongue thrust were found to be significantly different using a t-test (n = 50, p = 6.2 × 10−19), which is consistent with the results of a previous study. This device can contribute to assessing tongue thrusting habits. In the future, this device is expected to measure changes in the pressure exerted on teeth during daily life.
