Stress analysis of tooth and supporting tissue using the finite element method —Effect of properties of periodontal membrane—

We investigated changes in natural teeth under loading and the correspondence of simulated models to these results using the finite element method. Four kinds of models were analyzed according to loading conditions at the periodontal membrane. Two models for linear analysis and two models for nonlinear analysis were established. The influences of these 4 models on stress distribution were compared. The following results were obtained. 1) The differences Young’s modulus at the Periodontal membranes greatly affected the structure analysis; 2) a loading-deviation curve approximating actual values was observed under the loading condition of NL-2 at the periodontal membrane; and 3) comparison of stress distribution at the alveolar bone in linear and nonlinear analysis models indicated that the neutral axis appears only in the linear analysis models, suggesting that it is important to define and establish the periodontal membrane as the nonlinear elastic body.