Premium
Incisal bite force direction in humans and the functional significance of mammalian mandibular translation
Author(s) -
Hylander William L.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330480102
Subject(s) - bite force quotient , biting , force transducer , lever , mandible (arthropod mouthpart) , orthodontics , condyle , dentistry , medicine , biology , acoustics , engineering , physics , ecology , botany , genus , mechanical engineering
Abstract Incisal bite force direction was recorded and analyzed in ten human subjects using a specially designed force transducer. In all ten subjects the maxillary incisal bite force was vertically and anteriorly directed both during static biting and during biting associated with simultaneous mandibular translation and rotation. Since the resultant muscle force could not have been equal and opposite to the mandibular bite force, the mandibular condyles must have been loaded. These data demonstrate that the mandible acts as a lever during incisal biting and that there is no consistent relationship between incisal bite force direction and object size. In some individuals the bite force direction was more vertical during biting on a large transducer (30 mm high), while in other subjects it was more vertical during biting on a small transducer (10 mm high).