Masticatory tooth contact patterns: cuspid and first molar contacts during mastication of three types of food.

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 nonchewing-side 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.