Latar Belakang: Kemampuan mastikasi merupakan kemampuan untuk memecah partikel makanan agar mudah dicerna tubuh sehingga berperan dalam pemenuhan nutrisi. Penggunaan gigi tiruan lepasan diperlukan ketika seseorang mengalami kehilangan gigi karena dapat mengurangi kemampuan mastikasi. Berbagai faktor lain juga dapat mempengaruhi kemampuan mastikasi. Tujuan: Menganalisis hubungan berbagai faktor terhadap kemampuan mastikasi pemakai gigi tiruan lepasan. Metode: Tiga puluh empat pemakai gigi tiruan lepasan (GTL, GTLT, dan GTSL) berpartisipasi dalam uji mastikasi dengan permen karet yang dapat berubah warna (Masticatory Performance Evaluating Gum Xylitol®) dengan desain potong lintang. Laju alir saliva dievaluasi dengan gelas ukur, dan ketinggian residual ridge diukur secara klinis menggunakan kaca mulut No.3 yang diberi ukuran mm. Hasil: Ketinggian residual ridge (p=0,003) dan pengalaman memakai gigi tiruan (p=0,051) berperan terhadap kemampuan mastikasi. Faktor usia (p=1,000), jenis kelamin (p=0,711), laju alir saliva (p=0,400), jenis gigi tiruan (p=0,218), dan jumlah serta lokasi kehilangan gigi (p=0,097) tidak memberikan hubungan yang bermakna.

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Background: Masticatory performance is the ability to breakdown food to facilitate digestion, and its role in nutrition is important. Removable dentures are used to rehabilitate loss of teeth, which could jeopardize masticatory performance. There are also various factors that affect masticatory performance.

Objective: To analyze the relationship between various factors and masticatory performance.

Method: Thirty four removable denture wearers (full dentures, single complete dentures, or partial dentures) participated in a cross-sectional study of masticatory performance using color-changeable chewing gum (Masticatory Performance Evaluating Gum Xylitol®). The volume of saliva were evaluated using measuring cups, and residual ridge heights were measured using modified mouth mirror no. 3 with metric measurements.

Result: Residual ridge height (p=0,003) and removable denture-wearing experience (p=0,051) had significant relationship with masticatory performance. Age (p=1,000), gender (p=0,711), saliva (p=0,400), denture types (p=0,218), the number and the location of missing teeth (p=0,097) did not have significant association with masticatory performance.