Age‐related changes in oral motor‐control strategies during unpredictable load demands in humans

Abstract

To investigate age‐related changes in oral motor strategies in response to unpredictable load demands. Sixty‐five healthy children (aged 3–17 yr) were divided into five age‐groups based on their dental eruption stages and compared with a group of healthy adults (aged 18–35 yr). Each participant was asked to perform a standardized motor control task involving ‘pulling’ and ‘holding’ a force transducer with the anterior teeth. Different loads were attached to the force transducer in an unpredictable manner. The temporal force profile was divided into two time‐segments (an initial segment and a later segment). The peak force and peak force rate during the initial time‐segment, and the holding force and intra‐trial variability (coefficient of variation) during the later time‐segment, were measured. The results showed no differences in the peak force, peak force rate, holding force, and force variability in children compared with adults. However, the trends in the data evaluated using a segmented regression analysis showed that a breakpoint (abrupt change) consistently occurred in the late‐mixed dentition group (age 9–11 yr) for most of the outcome variables. The results indicate that while the motor control strategies in children appear to be similar to those in adults, there is a shift in the oral motor developmental trend during the late‐mixed dentition stage.

Effect of malocclusion on jaw motor function and chewing in children: a systematic review

“…Studies on masticatory movements suggest that children have a characteristic chewing pattern that differs from that of adults and that certain movement parameters (jaw opening and closing velocities) change with age [14,15]. A series of well-controlled studies in children with normal occlusion have shown that chewing and jaw motor skills develop gradually with age [16][17][18]. In particular, masticatory behavior has been shown to be most prone to deviation from normal in 6-year-old children (deciduous dentition) compared to adults.…”

Age and sex differences in oral functions from junior high school to young adulthood: A cross‐sectional study

“…As the population in Japan ages, 1 the number of elderly people requiring care will continue to increase, 2 and the management of oral functions will become increasingly important in the prevention of the future need for care. 3 Previous studies reported that oral function develops with age during childhood [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] and declines with age in elderly individuals. 12,13 Thus, in order to maintain oral functions in the elderly, it is necessary to improve oral function in the young.…”

Cognitive changes and neural correlates after oral rehabilitation procedures in older adults: a protocol for an interventional study

“…Contemporary orofacial neuroscience [60] related research has emphasized the importance of sensorimotor regulation [61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70] and adaptation to the altered oral environment during biting [64,[71][72][73][74] and chewing behaviors [71]. Further, recent studies have discussed the significance of retaining natural dentition and optimizing oral functions in people with a dental prosthesis [62,63,[75][76][77][78].…”