P. Pallav, PhD

In the previous pages we started with flat molars, moved a bit towards more realistic ones, by introducing height variations, and now we will configure channels on these, like the channel described in the last page.

When you take a look at cross-sections of a wax bite, you will see that in the pre~ and molar region most of the space between the occlusal surfaces is made of a network of the channels described in Flow Channels. This is the basic shape of the space in which we want to simulate the flow of food and the wear it causes.

Calculable Set Up

We will use the set up from Wavy Molars Wear to simulate the wear in the direction of the flow. The necking at A and C will be used so that this will be the narrowest part of the channels.

Perpendicular to the flow, the rings at A and C still represent parallel gaps whereas in the channels the height varies. We have to configure channels with a minimum height at the contacts and a maximum height in the middle of the fissure. The maximum must be greater than the height at A, because we want the average height at the narrowest cross-section to be the same as the height at A.

A cylindrical cross-section through A (or C) looks like a daisy chain of channels from the previous page, which are alternatingly flipped.

There are two concentric circular rows of cusps on each molar. The fissures between the cusps contain wearing restorations.

The outer rings have five cusps each. The tips marked with an X, and the contacts with a gray spot align with the circle at A.

The inner rows are made of circles of three cusps each and align with circle C. Their main purpose is simulation of fissures inside of the outer ring and their number isn't very important.

Plots

We have used the simulation of the setup to produce the plots of the page in front of this one. 

We are still going to get you a table maybe with data we used, such as height at fissures etc.