An iconic reptile native to New Zealand has been used as the basis for a 3D computer model investigating how damage to teeth is prevented by the jaw, muscles and brain in the absence of the periodontal ligament. The research - funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (BBSRC) -used the tuatara, a lizard-like reptile whose teeth are fused into the jaw bone, much like dental implants. The 3D computer model was used to investigate the feedback between the jaw joints and muscles in a creature that lacks periodontal ligaments, and to understand how the animal knows how hard to bite.
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