Biomechanical implications of cortical elastic properties of the macaque mandible.

Knowledge of the variation in the elastic properties of mandibular cortical bone is essential for modeling bone function. Our aim was to characterize the elastic properties of rhesus macaque mandibular cortical bone and compare these to the elastic properties from mandibles of dentate humans and baboons. Thirty cylindrical samples were harvested from each of six adult female rhesus monkey mandibles.

Preclinical Evaluation of a Crown-Splinted Custom Root-Shaped Implant.

Objective: To test whether a Maryland bridge-type splint provides adequate stability for a custom root-shaped implant to osseointegrate in a manner substantially equivalent to that of a threaded implant.

Methods: Six beagle dogs were subjected to intraoral impressions and cone beam scans that were used to fabricate custom root-shaped implants (RTIs) and crowns. Premolars in the mandible (P4) and in the maxilla (P3) were extracted, and 24 RTIs were immediately placed in extraction sockets.

Elastic Properties of Chimpanzee Craniofacial Cortical Bone.

Relatively few assessments of cranial biomechanics formally take into account variation in the material properties of cranial cortical bone. Our aim was to characterize the elastic properties of chimpanzee craniofacial cortical bone and compare these to the elastic properties of dentate human craniofacial cortical bone. From seven cranial regions, 27 cylindrical samples were harvested from each of five chimpanzee crania.

Human feeding biomechanics: performance, variation, and functional constraints.

The evolution of the modern human (Homo sapiens) cranium is characterized by a reduction in the size of the feeding system, including reductions in the size of the facial skeleton, postcanine teeth, and the muscles involved in biting and chewing. The conventional view hypothesizes that gracilization of the human feeding system is related to a shift toward eating foods that were less mechanically challenging to consume and/or foods that were processed using tools before being ingested. This hypothesis predicts that human feeding systems should not be well-configured to produce forceful bites and that the cranium should be structurally weak.