Mats Trulsson
Professor/senior dentist
Professor, Head of Department
Research description
The research group at the Unit of Oral Rehabilitation, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet specializes in behavioral and clinical studies in the field of orofacial neurosciences and oral rehabilitation procedures. The research group’s specific focus is on the basic somatosensory and motor mechanisms of the masticatory system. The knowledge acquired from the basic experiments is directly implemented in the clinical practice to optimize oral rehabilitation procedures. We are also involved in clinical studies investigating how the loss of teeth or impaired chewing function contributes to the development of malnutrition, cognitive impairment, and quality of life in general. Maintaining a nutrient-rich diet is critically important because of the greater impact of food intake on the aging population. We believe that chewing impairment which is widespread in older people can be an underexplored and modifiable risk factor contributing to poor quality of life especially in the aging population.