PURPOSE: to trace a profile of morbidly obese patient chewing. METHOD: study matched for age and sex evaluated oral motor and chew of 40 morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery and 40 eutrophic with no complaints of chewing and/or swallowing. RESULTS: morbidly obese showed: change in praxis and variables of lips and tongue and change in mandible size upon evaluating the mastication process - fast pace, vertical movement of the jaw, large size of the pie, chewing scarcity and need for fluid during chewing; in evaluations of lateralized chewing - no food cut, fast pace, the vertical movement of the jaw, large size of the cake and a shortage of mastication. CONCLUSION: morbidly obese patients show chewing alterations.
Mastication; Obesity; Morbid; Gastroplasty
