Finite element analysis of Smilodon skulls, compared against lion skulls, indicates a bite force at the canines roughly a third that of the lion, despite the sabre-tooth's larger size. The skull is built for a wide gape rather than for crushing, and the blade-like canines were vulnerable to lateral loading if prey twisted.
The compensation lies in the front limbs. Smilodon's humerus is exceptionally thick-walled and its cortical bone is heavily reinforced compared to living big cats, indicating forelimb strength well beyond what body size alone would predict. The prevailing reconstruction has the animal wrestling prey to the ground with its forelimbs and then applying a precise deep bite to the throat, where the canines could sever soft tissue without meeting bone.
The name sabre-toothed tiger is a misnomer. Smilodon sits in the extinct subfamily Machairodontinae and is not closely related to tigers or to any living cat lineage in particular.