Human bite force

This is possible with the help of such a huge bite force.

Updated: Mar 2, Do you know which animal has the strongest bite? Our jaws have evolved to be quite efficient -- in fact, if our skulls were scaled to the same size, human jaws would actually be more efficient and powerful than primates! The average human bite force is between PSI pounds per square inch. However, this pales in comparison to many wild animals, many of which use their teeth not only to chew, but also to grip and tear. As any veterinarian will tell you, any dog bite can be dangerous due to their sharp teeth and potential of bite wound infection.

Human bite force

His group at the University of New South Wales have studied the strength, sturdiness and biting power of the sabre-toothed cat , the great white shark , and the Komodo dragon. Now, he has turned his attention to a predator whose skull is far less impressive but yields surprises all the same — us. Some have even suggested that our weedy jaw muscles made way for our large brains and thus facilitated their evolution. The notion of weak human chops was based on very unrefined models that treated our jaws as two-dimensional levers. Of course, in real life, we chew in three glorious dimensions. To really understand how strong our mandibles are, we need to add that third dimension to the models. He used his signature technique, called finite element analysis , to create a virtual model of a human skull belonging to a San hunter-gatherer. For good measure, Wroe also digitised the skulls of six other primates — the gorilla, chimpanzee, orang-utan and white-handed gibbon, and two extinct species, Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus boisei. All of the skulls came from adult females. The images below show an example of these virtual models, displaying the forces that act upon the skulls as they chomp down on the second molar. The blue regions are those under the least amount of stress, while the red, pink and white regions are enduring the highest stresses. The results revealed that human skulls, far from being weak, are quite tough and unusually efficient for their size. Our second molars can exert a bite force between 1, and 1, Newtons, beating the orang-utan, gibbon and Australopithecus but lagging behind the gorilla, chimp and Paranthropus. And if you scale all the skulls to the same size, we suddenly become the leader of the pack.

Polar bear bite force is used for: Chomping through the thick blubber of Arctic animals. Bite force is measured in pounds per square inch, psi.

Federal government websites often end in. The site is secure. The dental and bite force evaluations were monitored by a professional from the area. Analysis of variance was used with MBF as a dependent variable, age group and gender as random factors, and BMI as a control variable. In young adults, the female force became greater the males, then decreased in adulthood.

His group at the University of New South Wales have studied the strength, sturdiness and biting power of the sabre-toothed cat , the great white shark , and the Komodo dragon. Now, he has turned his attention to a predator whose skull is far less impressive but yields surprises all the same — us. Some have even suggested that our weedy jaw muscles made way for our large brains and thus facilitated their evolution. The notion of weak human chops was based on very unrefined models that treated our jaws as two-dimensional levers. Of course, in real life, we chew in three glorious dimensions. To really understand how strong our mandibles are, we need to add that third dimension to the models. He used his signature technique, called finite element analysis , to create a virtual model of a human skull belonging to a San hunter-gatherer. For good measure, Wroe also digitised the skulls of six other primates — the gorilla, chimpanzee, orang-utan and white-handed gibbon, and two extinct species, Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus boisei.

Human bite force

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. That is because the jaws are built on the principle of a pair of tongs, The power is applied near the joint, while the work is performed at the opposite extremity of the jaw levers. Had a mechanical engineer designed the human frame, he would no doubt have built the jaws after the fashion of a nut cracker, with the muscles placed at the ends of the jaw levers, and the teeth between these ends and the joint or fulcrum, so that a powerful bite could be obtained with a very small expenditure of muscular effort. However, in the physiology of man and all other animal life, for that matter, mechanical advantage weighs for little in the presence of other broader considerations. This is why nearly all the principal muscles of the body must be far more powerful than would be necessary were they to act directly upon the work. When chewing we have an almost direct application of the power of the muscles, as they nearly overlie the third molars. There is a vast difference between chewing and biting. In order to determine the average strength of the jaws, Dr. Black, president of the Chicago Dental University, some time ago devised an instrument of very simple design but with a name that would put the average jaw to a severe test the gnathodynamometer.

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Of all animals alive on Earth today, the Nile crocodile has the strongest bite, at 5,psi or 3,, newtons per square meter. The masticatory function is acquired by eating experiences and is especially influenced by the consistencies of food. FunFact : Wolves which all domesticated dogs were descended from have an average bite force of PSI. United States Change. Braz Dent J. This means that our thumbs can touch the tips of our other fingers. Saltwater crocodile bite force used for: Gripping onto prey while they use a death roll. There is some controversy in the literature about the masticatory performance. We finally have some answers. This means they can grow up to a whopping 50, teeth in a lifetime!

His group at the University of New South Wales have studied the strength, sturdiness and biting power of the sabre-toothed cat, the great white shark, and the Komodo dragon. Now, he has turned his attention to a predator whose skull is far less impressive but yields surprises all the same — us. Some have even suggested that our weedy jaw muscles made way for our large brains and thus facilitated their evolution.

How is Bruxism Diagnosed and Treated? Holly is also an artist and illustrator, and regular contributor to the craft website, Gathered. To really understand how strong our mandibles are, we need to add that third dimension to the models. Table 3 Maximum bite force means, in newtons, and standard deviations for each age group. Therefore, future research is suggested with a larger sample size. In women, this decrease is more notable because they begin with a much lower rate of hormone than men, and so their strength reduces more quickly. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the MBF, according to different age groups, gender, and body mass index BMI. Also considered ineligible were individuals with any kind of syndrome, degenerative diseases, mental deficiencies, malformation, changes of the temporomandibular articulation, open and cross-bite, myofunctional changes of masticatory muscles, and dental implants. During the assessments, the participant was asked to stand up and was instructed to keep the legs slightly open to ensure the body balance. The MBF was recorded in newtons and measured as the peak force shown on the device screen. Copyright smorescience. As for strength? Alongside this, she was regional editor of a popular theatre website for nine years, and has a solid background in curating and developing content for the digital space.