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Microfracture patterns of abrasive wear striations on teeth indicate directionality
Author(s) -
Gordon Kenneth R.
Publication year - 1984
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.1330630308
Subject(s) - abrasive , abrasion (mechanical) , materials science , brittleness , striation , composite material , comminution , enamel paint , particle (ecology) , fracture (geology) , diamond , metallurgy , geology , oceanography
A method is described that will indicate the direction that an abrasive particle was traveling as it scored the surface of a brittle material. Light and scanning electron micrographs of glass, dentine, and enamel abraded by loose sand, steel carbide, and diamond indicate that partial Hertzian fracture cones are formed at the margins of wear striations during abrasion. The bases of these fracture cones face in the direction of travel of the abrasive particle and, therefore, indicate directionality. Because this method is based only on the consistent geometry of fracturing of brittle materials, it is independent of the loading of the abrasive particle. The only other method available to determine directionality of striations is unreliable since it uses the width of striations, and, hence, is dependent upon a consistent loading regime of the abrasive particle. This new method has direct application for determining the direction of movement of the jaws during mastication in living or fossil animals.