Scientists at Bristol University and the Department of Oral and Dental Science have developed a "chewing robot" to help test artificial teeth materials.
The new mechanical mandible, named Dento-Munch, mimics the action of the human jaw, allowing experts to study the wear and tear that dental fittings such as crowns and dentures have on human teeth .
Up till now, experts have had to test new types of dental fittings on human subjects, which is not only costly but also time consuming.
However, the new simulator, which has a six-degree freedom of movement, can successfully copy the natural chewing action of a human and offer accurate reads of the movements and forces sustained by artificial teeth when chewing.
The Dento-Munch robot also has a reservoir for artificial saliva, which helps it simulate the conditions inside the human oral environment as accurately as possible.
Dr Kazem Alemzadehv, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol, came up with the concept after seeing aircraft simulators using similar movements.
The design and development of Dento-Munch was carried out by Daniel Raabe, a mechanical engineering PhD student at the university .
Mr Raabe said: "By reproducing natural bite forces and movements, the chewing robot can help improve and accelerate the process of developing new dental restorative materials that may someday be found in a person's mouth."
The robot was unveiled to the public yesterday at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in London.
