• Sarawan Siripanthana D.D.S.
• Chidsanu Changsiripun D.D.S., Ph.D.

Objectives To compare the recognition threshold of the four taste qualities in patients wearing upper
removable orthodontic appliances with posterior bite planes before and after insertion.

Material and Methods Subjects who received upper removable orthodontic appliances with
posterior bite planes were recruited in the study. Recognition threshold for salty, sweet, bitter and sour
was measured using a Modified Harris-Kalmus test. The tests were conducted on three different
occasions; T0-one month before appliance insertion; T1-on the day of appliance insertion; T2-one
month after appliance insertion. The retest was additionally performed on T1, prior to appliance
insertion. Friedman test was used to statistically compare the recognition thresholds between different
testing time and taste qualities. Test-retest reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation
coefficient. P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant for all statistical analyses.

Results Eighteen young orthodontic patients (12 males, 6 females), whose ages ranged from 8-14
years old (mean ± SD, 10.89 ± 1.57) were included in the present study. The within-subject reliability
proved to be reasonably reliable with intraclass correlation = 0.690. The results showed that recognition
threshold increased immediately after insertion of appliances (T1) for all the tastes except for sweet
and decreased at T2 compared to T1, however the differences were not significant. When investigating
the threshold changes among taste qualities at specific period of time, the results showed no significant
differences.

Conclusion Short-term treatment of upper removable orthodontic appliances with posterior bite planes
may not affect the taste recognition threshold of the four taste qualities.

(CU Dent J. 2015;38(Suppl):29-36)