Masticatory Tooth Contact Patterns: Cuspid and First Molar Contacts During Mastication of Three Types of Food

ABSTRACT

In ten healthy subjects, bilateral contacts between opposing cuspid and first molar teeth were recorded during one sequence of unilateral chewing of apple, peanuts, and banana. Unknown magnitudes of mechanophysical (masticatory) forces were inferred to act directly on the chewing-side cuspid teeth in 71% of all masticatory cycles and on the nonchewing-side cuspid teeth in 68% of all masticatory cycles. In addition, unknown magnitudes of mechanophysical forces were inferred to act directly on the chewing-side first molar teeth in 74% of all masticatory cycles and on the nonchewingside first molar teeth in 86% of all masticatory cycles. During the chewing of peanuts, the total number of chewing-side cuspid contacts exceeded significantly the total number of nonchewing-side cuspid contacts, suggesting more repetitive direct mechanophysical loading of the chewing-side cuspid teeth. During the chewing of apple, the total number of nonchewing-side first molar contacts exceeded significantly the total number of chewing-side first molar contacts, suggesting more repetitive direct mechanophysical loading of the nonchewing-side first molar teeth. The variable contact patterns were, to a large extent, explained by rotational movements of the entire mandible resulting in translational movements of the hemimandible.

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Notes on contributors

S.E. Mohamed

Dr. Shawky E. Mohamed earned his D.D.S. from the The University of Iowa and his certificate in Fixed Prosthodontics from The University of Missouri at Kansas City. At the present time, he directs the TMJ Research Clinic at Louisiana State University Medical Center School of Dentistry in New Orleans. He also maintains a priate dental practice dealing with TM disorders and with fixed prosthodontics.

J.D. Harrison

Dr. James D. Harrison earned his D.D.S. from St. Louis University, and his M.Sc. and M.A. from Ohio State University. Presently, he is professor of prosthodontics at Louisiana State University Medical Center. He held positions of Associate Dean at Southern Illinois University and St. Louis University and President of the American Association of Dental Schools. He maintains an active interest in dental education, occlusion, muscle physiology, and fixed prosthodontics.

L.V. Christensen

Dr. Larry V. Christensen received his D.D.S. from The Royal Dental College of Copenhagen, his M.S. degree in physiology from Marquette University and his Ph.D. from The Faculty of Odontology, Gothenburg University in Göteborg, Sweden. Dr. Christensen has published over a hundred research articles dealing with muscle physiology, pain, occlusion, and TMJ sounds.