The effects of the periodontal ligament on mandibular stiffness: a study combining finite element analysis and geometric morphometrics

Abstract It is generally accepted that the periodontal ligament (PDL) plays a crucial role in transferring occlusal forces from the teeth to the alveolar bone. Studies using finite element analysis (FEA) have helped to better understand this role and show that the stresses and strains in the alveola...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of biomechanics 2011-04, Vol.44 (7), p.1304-1312
Main Authors: Gröning, F, Fagan, M.J, O’Higgins, P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Automation
Biological and medical sciences
Biomechanics. Biorheology
Bone and Bones - physiology
Bones
Computer Simulation
Deformation
Finite Element Analysis
Finite element method
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Geometric morphometrics
Humans
Ligaments
Mandible
Mandible - anatomy & histology
Mandible - physiology
Mastication
Mathematical analysis
Models, Theoretical
Modulus of elasticity
Mouth. Exocrine and endocrine salivary glands. Teeth. Esophagus
Multivariate Analysis
Muscles - physiology
Periodontal ligament
Periodontal Ligament - physiology
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Pressure
Principal Component Analysis
Sensitivity analysis
Strain
Stress, Mechanical
Stresses
Studies
Teeth
Tissues, organs and organisms biophysics
Tooth
Vertebrates: digestive system
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Summary:Abstract It is generally accepted that the periodontal ligament (PDL) plays a crucial role in transferring occlusal forces from the teeth to the alveolar bone. Studies using finite element analysis (FEA) have helped to better understand this role and show that the stresses and strains in the alveolar bone are influenced by whether and how PDL is included in FE models. However, when the overall distribution of stresses and strains in crania and mandibles are of interest, PDL is often not included in FE models, although little is known about how this affects the results. Here we study the effect of representing PDL as a layer of solid material with isotropic homogeneous properties in an FE model of a human mandible using a novel application of geometric morphometrics. The results show that the modelling of the PDL affects the deformation and thus strain magnitudes not only of the alveolar bone around the biting tooth, but that the whole mandible deforms differently under load. As a result, the strain in the mandibular corpus is significantly increased when PDL is included, while the strain in the bone beneath the biting tooth is reduced. These results indicate the importance of the PDL in FE studies. Thus we recommend that the PDL should be included in FE models of the masticatory apparatus, with tests to assess the sensitivity of the results to changes in the Young’s modulus of the PDL material.
ISSN:0021-9290
1873-2380
DOI:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2011.01.008