Calculation of maximum tensile and shear forces in restorative materials using finite element method

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to determine tensile loading that leads to dental restoration failure, i.e. the critical values of stress. In order to analyze stress distribution within the restoration and tooth, mechanical properties of materials and tissues, such as Young modulus and Poisson's ratio were taken into account. An additional purpose of the paper was to determine whether tensile or shear stresses that occur in the restorative composite and the surrounding enamel cause this failure. Tensile stress is caused by forces acting in the direction perpendicular to the cross-section of a given element, whereas shear stresses are caused by forces parallel to said cross section. A 3D numerical model of a tooth including three different materials (dentine, enamel and compo-site) was made and used for these calculations. These results will be used as a base for the physical experiment.