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Chewing Robot' could revolutionise dental research

A 'Chewing Robot' which mimics the human jaw and teeth could revolutionise dental research, it has emerged.

Published: 7:00AM BST 30 Jun 2009

The mechanical mandible allows experts to study the wear-and-tear on dental fittings like crowns and bridges without using costly human subjects.

Fittings are made from well-known metals, polymers and ceramics – but their dental wear properties are often poorly understood.

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Clinical trials examining the toll taken on real human teeth are expensive and time-consuming. By the time a new material has been tested, it is often obsolete.

This is where the Chewing Robot – created by the University of Bristol and the Department of Oral and Dental Science – comes in.

The movements and forces involved in natural chewing action have now been successfully copied using the simulator – the Chewing Robot.

The robot is based on a three-dimensional mechanism reproducing the motion and forces sustained by teeth in a human mouth.

Dr Kazem Alemzadeh, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering came up with the concept of the robot after seeing that aircraft simulators used the similar movements.

The design and development of the Chewing Robot was carried out by Daniel Raabe, a PhD student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

The robot has the potential "to dramatically improve the process of developing and testing new dental materials", the team said.

The UK spends around £2.5 billion each year on dental materials to replace or strengthen teeth.

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 creation goes on display today at this year's Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, in London.

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