Mechanobiological Analysis of Molar Teeth with Carious Lesions through the Finite Element Method

Abstract

The analysis of the distribution of stress in dental organs is a poorly studied area. That is why computational mechanobiological analysis at the tissue level using the finite element method is very useful to achieve a better understanding of the biomechanics and the behaviour of dental tissues in various pathologies. This knowledge will allow better diagnoses, customize treatment plans, and establish the basis for the development of better restoration materials. In the present work, through the use of high-fidelity biomodels, computational mechanobiological analyses were performed on four molar models affected with four different degrees of caries, which are subjected to masticatory forces. With the analyses performed, it is possible to observe that the masticatory forces that act on the enamel are not transmitted to the dentin and to the bone and periodontal ligament to protect the nerve, as it happens in a healthy dental organ. With the presence of decay, these forces are transmitted partly to the pulp. The reactions to the external loads on the dental organs depend on the advances of the carious lesion that they present, since the distribution of stresses is different in a healthy tooth.

Numerical Analysis of a Dental Zirconium Restoration and the Stresses That Occur in Dental Tissues

“…A fundamental aspect that should be considered is that dental tissue affected by caries has undergone variations in its biological, physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, due to the caries process and mastication. There is evidence that, in dental tissues affected by caries, there is a stiffening phenomenon of both the affected tissue and the healthy remnant, which makes the tissues more fragile by mechanical means [2, 3]. This agrees with general dentistry knowledge that a dental organ with caries is more prone to fracture during chewing, than a healthy one.…”

“…Considering also that generally, when a restoration is required, it is because both the enamel and dentin have been lost, which is a fundamental tissue for the proper functioning of the enamel itself. With this loss, a greater stiffness of the remaining enamel has been found in previous studies [3], so when restoring with dental zirconium, this is not working symbiotically or synergistically with the dental tissues, as they do so naturally between them. This is why the tensions generated in the dental organ with the restoration are greater.…”

“…The contacts between the tissues and the restoration were considered for the analysis performed. The detailed methodology to obtain the biomodel, from the three-dimensional images of the tomography, to the boundary conditions and mesh refinement, among others, is the same with those used in the research and publications developed previously by the authors [2, 3, 23, 35] (Table 2).…”

Numerical Analysis Applying the Finite Element Method by Developing a Complex Three-Dimensional Biomodel of the Biological Tissues of the Elbow Joint Using Computerized Axial Tomography

“…Also, there will be a separation between the capsule joint and the cortical bone, which can generate a joint effusion that causes pain. The authors have carried out projects where different methodologies were used for the development of biomodels applied to rehabilitation work and bone diseases, where it is considered an innovative process in medicine, biology, and dentistry [19][20][21][22][23][24].…”