How powerful is a human bite?

When we bite and chew food, three sets of powerful muscles work together to move the lower jaw. As the muscles move the jaw up and down and from side to side, food is ground down by the molars in the back of the mouth.

Temporal muscle

Temporal muscle pulls the lower jaw up. Along with the medial pterygoid, lateral pterygoid and masseter muscles, it belongs to the group masticatory muscles. The temporalis muscle runs superficially, from the temporal bone to the coronoid process of mandible.

Pterygoid muscle

Pterygoid muscle pulls the hinge joint that opens the jaw. It belongs to the group of masticatory muscles, along with the lateral pterygoid, masseter and temporal muscles. 

Masseter muscle

The masseter muscle is a facial muscle that plays a major role in the chewing of solid foods. The muscle is shaped similar to a parallelogram, connecting to the mandible (lower jawbone) and the cheekbone. Masseter muscle closes the jaw with great force.

Jaw muscles

The chewing muscles, which are attached to the skull, can exert great force. The lower jaw can withstand this pressure because it is the strongest bone in the face.

 

Picture Credit : Google