Incisal orientation and biting efficiency

Journal of Human Evolution
K Y AngH T W Tan

Abstract

Broad-edged 'spatulate' upper and lower incisors are distinctive of catarrhines and platyrrhines who use them in various ways to peel fruits, remove bark, and strip leaves from branches. The incisors of modern humans not only control the bite size of foods during ingestion, but often grip items in a number of non-food related tasks. Such uses have long been implicated for Neandertals as well. Despite the evolutionary importance of incision and the fact that the incisors feature prominently in clinical dentistry (via orthodontic practices designed both to correct incisal misalignments and adjust their orientation), little is known about what affects their functional efficiency. Few mechanical analyses of incisal action have been published and none that seem to take note of the mechanisms of both fracture and friction at the tooth-food interface. Here, we modeled the incisal tip as a wedge, finding that the efficiency of biting foods that fracture elastically is strongly dependent on both the apex angle of the incisor and the coefficient of friction. Based on apex angle measurements from a small sample of human central incisors, the overall efficiency of upper central incisors is predicted to be greatest when the angle between th...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 26, 2016·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Michael A Berthaume
Apr 15, 2016·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Adrian A BarnettCaroline Ross
Dec 26, 2012·Journal of Human Evolution·Adeline Le CabecJean-Jacques Hublin
Aug 21, 2008·Journal of Oral Rehabilitation·J Paphangkorakit, J W Osborn
Nov 2, 2011·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·Christopher J VinyardSusan H Williams
Apr 25, 2006·Physiology & Behavior·Peter W LucasNathaniel J Dominy
Dec 27, 2005·Archives of Oral Biology·Zhongquan SuiPeter W Lucas
Apr 25, 2007·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Melanie A McCollum
Aug 10, 2019·Nature Communications·C G SkamniotisM N Charalambides
Jul 24, 2021·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Jeremiah E Scott

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