Effect of damping properties on fracture resistance of root filled premolar teeth: a dynamic finite element analysis

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the ex vivo effects of damping on stress concentration in root filled premolar teeth.

Methodology: Damping ratios of maxillary premolar teeth that had undergone root canal treatment were tested in a laboratory model. In addition, two-dimensional finite element (FE) models were established for dynamic analysis.

Results: The mean-damping ratio was significantly lower in premolar teeth that had undergone root canal preparation (8.50 +/- 0.53%) than in unprepared teeth (14.42 +/- 2.17%) (P < 0.05). However, root filling had a significant positive effect on the damping ratio of the tooth (10.84 +/- 1.70%) (P < 0.05). When the damping ratio was taken into consideration, FE analysis revealed that peak stresses in the apical one-third of the root on the buccal side were reduced by 31.8% when mastication forces were applied on the palatal cusp and occlusal fossa.

Conclusion: Pulp tissue plays an important role in providing protective effects when teeth are subjected to a dynamic load. However, root filled teeth do not provide such protective effects.