Biomechanics of prehensile oral mucosa

Large dogs are able to deliver a powerful bite that generates considerable stress in the anterior, prehensile part of the jaws. In the upper jaw most of the biting force is borne by the anterior teeth. The palatal mucosa provides little resistance to deformation. It is easily compressed and rather mobile. In the lower jaw, the mucosa covering the upper surface of the symphysis receives a sizeable portion of the biting force. It is firmly attached to the underlying bone and possesses special connective tissue arrangements that enable it to transduce locally applied pressure to tension distributed over a broad area.