The shape of the structural units in tricuspid and unicuspid teeth markedly differ. In tricuspid teeth the units have an angular outline in cross-section. In unicuspid teeth each unit consists of two subunits: a rod-shaped and a trough-shaped subunit, both having smooth outlines in cross-section (this study, [23]). The concave side of the trough-shaped subunit is faced to the top of the tooth. It has been suggested that by its shape and orientation the presence of trough-shaped structural subunits adds to the functionality of the tooth in that the subunits tend to deflect propagating fractures towards the top of the tooth, which would restrict abrasive losses of tooth material [23].
4.3. Cutting performance
We have shown that during the working-life of a radular tooth the wedge angle gradually increases. In P. vulgata and C. tuberculatus the wedge angles were similar ranging from about 30° to about 70°; in C. olivaceus we measured a range of wedge angles from 56° to 78°. We have also shown that in the first stages of its working-life a radular tooth wears down more quickly than in later stages. This may partly be due to the fact that on the whole teeth with a small wedge angle are more liable to fracturing than teeth with a larger wedge angle. In general, sharp wedge angles add considerably to the efficiency of an abrasive tool (see, e.g., Ref. [18]). However, the performance of such tools is also very much dependent on their clearance and rake angles, as is explained below. From the reconstruction of the positioning during feeding of the radular teeth (Fig. 12), it was inferred that the clearance angle is positive. This implies that the cutting edge of the tooth will have a good grip on the substrate, whereas with a zero or negative clearance angle the tooth would have lost its cutting capability and merely would have slipped over the substrate. Furthermore, the rake angle appeared to be positive in the first stages of the working-life of the tooth and negative in the latest stages. Dependent on the material characteristics of the workpiece, cutting devices have a critical rake angle beyond which abrasion becomes inefficient. For instance, for steel workpieces the critical rake angle is 0° [18]. In practice this would mean that chips of steel would readily be removed from the workpiece at positive rake angles. If the rake angle were negative, i.e., if the leading face made a sharp angle with the surface of the workpiece, no material could be detached from it. In that case the cutting tool would have lost its cutting capability and would merely plough through the steel workpiece. We do not know the critical rake angle for rocky material, but positive rake angles, as found for radular teeth, are in general favourable for a good cutting performance.