Age changes in mastication in the pig.

A comparative study of chewing in miniature pigs at three stages of dental development was carried out using electromyography and movement analysis. The mastication of the youngest pigs was characterized by longer burst durations of jaw muscles, particularly closing muscles, and greater relative jaw opening. Chewing side alternated irregularly and burst durations were variable. Between the intermediate and oldest ages, the parameters remained almost unchanged. Because the amount of dental development that occurred between the second two stages was just as extensive as that between the first two, progressive eruption cannot account for the age changes observed in mastication.