Measuring Intraoral Pressure: Adaptation of a Dental Appliance Allows Measurement During Function

Abstract

This article introduces a new way of recording intraoral pressures from a range of locations within the oral cavity. To measure pressure flow dynamics during swallowing, we fitted eight miniature pressure transducers capable of measuring absolute pressures to a chrome-cobalt palatal appliance with a labial bow. Unlike previous devices, our design provides a rigid, custom-fitted platform for the simultaneous recording of pressures at eight locations within the oral cavity during function. We placed an anterior pair of gauges to measure lingual and labial contact against the left central incisor tooth, and two pairs of gauges to measure pressure contributions of the lateral tongue margin and cheeks on the canine and first molar teeth. Finally, lingual pressure on the midline of the palate was measured by two gauges, one at the position of the premolars and one on the posterior boundary of the hard palate. We then recorded intraoral pressures in five adult volunteers seated in an upright position and asked to swallow 10 ml of water. Labial pressures on the canine rose rapidly from a resting level of 10 kPa to 33 kPa, while pressure profiles from the labial aspects of the incisor and first molar teeth followed a negative pattern, peaking at -12 kPa for the incisor and -15 kPa for the molar sensor. Pressure profiles recorded from the palatal aspects of the first molar and the canine appeared to be similar, but the former fell to -13 kPa before rising to 9 kPa, and the canine pressure rapidly increased to 22 kPa before returning to its resting level of 4 kPa. The pressure profile of the palatal aspect of the central incisor was strikingly different; at the start of the swallow, pressure dropped precipitously to -20 kPa, before slowly rising to 10 kPa. It then followed the general pattern of the other two sensors, before peaking again at 10 kPa and then returning to a resting level of 4 kPa. We also showed that there were significant negative pressures in the mouth during function, and that pressure profiles varied markedly between individuals.

Development and Clinical Application of Instruments to Measure Orofacial Structures

“…Many instruments have been developed to quantify tongue force using different technologies, such as dynamometers (Posen 1972;Trawitzki et al 2010), bulbs (Bu Sha et al 2000Hayashi et al 2002;Clark et al 2003;Ball et al 2006;Utanohara et al 2008), palatal plates (Hori et al 2006;Hewitt et al 2008;Kieser et al 2008), strain gauges (Kydd 1956;Sanders 1968;Dworkin 1980;Robinovitch et al 1991;Scardella et al 1993) and others. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages and can measure maximum tongue force in a different direction and sometimes force during function.…”

“…The palatal plate developed by Kieser et al (2008) was designed to simultaneously measure pressure at diverse locations in the mouth and was constructed from a chrome-cobalt alloy. To measure pressure during swallowing, an anterior pair of gauges measured lingual and labial contact against the left central incisor tooth, while two pairs of gauges measured pressure contributions of the lateral tongue margin and cheeks on the canine and first molar teeth.…”

Presurgical orthopedics by drink plates does not significantly normalize deglutition in infants with cleft lip and palate

“…17,[21][22][23] In order to characterize the robustness of the distinctive parameters, the variation of measurements was analyzed on the basis of a series of three-time repeated pressure monitoring of three subjects of the control group (Table 1). Figure 1.…”

“…17,[21][22][23] Although statistical analyses yielded significant differences between pressure characteristics of the groups, the robustness of pressure parameters needs to be considered in interpreting the data.…”

Determinación de Presiones Intraorales en Compartimientos Biofuncionales de Pacientes Desdentados Totales

“…En el análisis de los datos, las fases de meseta y peaks de presión, presiones diferenciadas y media bajo la curva fueron calculadas. Las fases de meseta incluyeron una oscilación de presión menor a 5 mbar/s y la duración de al menos 5 s, a fin de distinguir las fases de meseta y la duración de la deglución normal (Kieser et al, 2008). Los peaks se definieron como un cambio en la presión de al menos 5 mbar/s en 2 segundos, y un segundo cambio (disminución) de al menos 5 mbar/s dentro de los 5 s después del inicio del cambio.…”