physics

Masticatory force

Masticatory force is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Masticatory force rather than just read about it. In short: Masticatory force or force of mastication is the force created by the dynamic action of the masticatory muscles during the act of chewing. Masticatory muscles The muscles that power the jaw movements during chewing are known as the muscles of mastication or masticatory muscles, and are functionally classified as: Jaw elevators: the masseter, temporalis, medial pterygoid and superior belly of the lateral pterygoid Ja…

Key takeaways

Masticatory force belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Masticatory force to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Masticatory force from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Masticatory force or force of mastication is the force created by the dynamic action of the masticatory muscles during the act of chewing.

Masticatory muscles

The muscles that power the jaw movements during chewing are known as the muscles of mastication or masticatory muscles, and are functionally classified as:

Jaw elevators: the masseter, temporalis, medial pterygoid and superior belly of the lateral pterygoid Jaw depressors; the anterior digastrics, geniohyoid, mylohyoid and inferior belly of the lateral pterygoid

Measuring masticatory force The first device for measuring masticatory force (gnathodynamometer) was created by Black in 1893. He determined that periodontal tissue is an important issue, which impacts the amount of force. Morill found out that masticatory muscles stop their contraction differently upon the appearance of pain signals from the periodontal tissue. Shreder used local anaesthesia to ignore the periodontal response to measure the maximum force of mastication. His research showed that a 21-year-old man without any periodontal pathology who could produce approximately 35 kilograms-force (340 N) of force, increased the amount of that force to 60 kilograms-force (590 N) following local anaesthesia. Weber worked out that 1 cm2 surface of perpendicular slide of any masticatory muscle can produce approximately 10 kilograms-force (100 N) force. The following surfaces were found

temporalis – 8 cm2 masseter – 7.5 cm2 medial pterygoid – 4 cm2 Thus, the total average surface area of perpendicular masticatory muscles slide is about 19.5 square centimetres (3.02 in2).

Forces Nankali studied chewing in multiple individuals. He found variation in the amount of masticatory force. The masticatory forces changes at eating time according to mouthful characteristic and size. This has various effects on the maxilla and mandible via the teeth. The periodontal system automatically controls the measure of mastication force. The jaw elevator muscles develop the main forces used in mastication. The force generated during routine mastication of food such as carrots or meat is about 70 to 150 newtons (16 to 34 lbf). The maximum masticatory force in some people may reach up to 500 to 700 newtons (110 to 160 lbf). The study of masticatory force in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis shows that hyposalivation and mucosal alterations can be related to the pathology of masticatory system.

Force distribution

Nankali systematized masticatory force distribution. According to this system, force is divided in two main groups, with physiological or pathological conditions. The physiological masticatory force is divided into three subgroups according to their localizations: anterior, general (covering the entire arch) and posterior part of arch, which is also divided into two different groups; unilateral and bilateral. Producing a maximum masticatory force uses the general subgroup of this systematization.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Masticatory force

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Masticatory force claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Masticatory force before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Masticatory force ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Masticatory force

In research: Masticatory force appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Masticatory force in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Masticatory force is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Chewing, Dentistry, Prosthodontology, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Masticatory force outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Masticatory force in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Masticatory force means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Masticatory force out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Masticatory force in simple terms?

Masticatory force or force of mastication is the force created by the dynamic action of the masticatory muscles during the act of chewing. Masticatory muscles The muscles that power the jaw movements during chewing are known as the muscles of mastication or masticatory muscles, and are functionally…

Why does Masticatory force matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Masticatory force?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Masticatory force.