Reproducibility and Accuracy in Measuring Masticatory Performance Using Test Gummy Jelly

Purpose: To establish a simpler and more accurate method of measuring masticatory ability in routine dental practice compared to current methods.Materials and Methods: To find the most suitable conditions for assessing masticatory performance using the test gummy jelly, variable factors were investigated, such as temperature and length of rinse time in water, temperature of distilled water, and dissolution time of glucose. The accuracy of this test was confirmed by correlating the surface area of the jelly and the glucose concentration. A student's t-test or ANOVA was used for statistical analysis at the 5% level of significance. The Bonferroni method was used for multiple comparisons.Results: The glucose concentration decreased gradually (p<0.05) as the rinsing time increased but tended to remain unchanged at 30seconds or more. As the temperature of the distilled water for dissolving the glucose or the dissolution time increased, the glucose concentration constantly increased (p<0.05). A linear regression analysis showed that the concentration of glucose had a significantly high correlation to the surface area (mm2) of the comminuted jelly (r=0.993, p<0.01).Conclusion: The concentration of glucose dissolved from the comminuted particles of the test gummy jelly indicated high reproducibility and accuracy when the rinsing time, temperature of the distilled water, and dissolution time of the glucose were strictly prescribed.