Citation

Otani T, Kobayashi M, Nozaki K, Gonda T, Maeda Y, Tanaka M. Dent. Traumatol. 2018; 34(3): 208-213.

Affiliation

Department of Mechanical Science and Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, 1-3, Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/edt.12386

PMID

29406566

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIM: The mouthguard (MG) is an effective device to reduce the risk of dental traumatic injuries but the mechanical effects of wearing a MG and its design are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mechanical influence of wearing a MG and its palatal design on the tooth-periodontal ligament-bone complex (TPBC) by computational analysis using the finite element method. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three-dimensional subject-specific geometry of the TPBC was reconstructed from medical CT images. Two patterns of MG geometries were constructed which covered the palatal domain or not (the position of these palatal margins were set at -8 mm (pattern 1) and 4 mm (pattern 2) from the cervical line. Five cases of static mechanical analysis were conducted by changing the location of the loading points from near the cervical line to the tip of the tooth.

RESULTS: Wearing a MG worn decreased strain concentration around the loading point and cervical domain regardless of the MG palatal design. Elastic energy in the PDL and tooth (including enamel and dentin) decreased when the MG was worn whereas the MG palatal design slightly affected the degree of reduction of the elastic energies. The location of the loading points remarkably affected the elastic energy in the TPBC components and the extent of its reduction due to the MG.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated that the protection ability of the MG exerted in the restricted situations of traumatic events occurs regardless of the MG design. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Finite element method; Injury; Mouthguard; Speech; Sports dentistry