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Resorptive potential of impacted mandibular third molars: 3D simulation by finite element analysis

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Abstract

Objectives

Previous studies have suggested a relationship between resorption in second molars and pressure from the eruptive force of the third molar. The aim of this study was to simulate functional forces in a mandible model by means of finite element analysis and then assess the biomechanical response produced by impacted third molars on the roots of the second molar.

Materials and methods

A cone beam computed tomography scan presenting an impacted mandibular third molar was segmented (Mimics V17 software). The modeling process was performed using the reverse engineering technique provided by the Rhinoceros 3D 5.0 software. The third molar position was changed in order to produce different inclinations of the impacted tooth. Bite forces were simulated to evaluate total deformation, the equivalent von Mises stress, minimum principal stress on hard tissue, and equivalent elastic strain on soft tissue.

Results

Areas of high energy dissipation and compression stress were detected in the second molar root, independently of the inclination of the impacted third molar. In general, the horizontal position was the situation in which major stress and the amount of deformation occurred in the second and third molar regions.

Conclusion

Impacted third molars in close proximity with the adjacent tooth can generate areas of compression concentrated at the site of contact, which suggests an involvement of mechanical factors in the triggering of resorption lesions.

Clinical relevance

The results of these computational experiments contribute to the understanding of the triggering and progression of resorptive lesions in the adjacent second molar.

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Funding

This study was supported by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP (post-doctoral fellowship no. 2013/12762-2 and regular support no. 2014/14409-0).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral Diagnosis, Division of Oral Radiology, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil

    Anne Caroline Oenning & Francisco Haiter-Neto

  2. Department of Morphology, Division of Anatomy, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil

    Alexandre Rodrigues Freire, Ana Cláudia Rossi, Felippe Bevilacqua Prado & Paulo Henrique Ferreira Caria

  3. Department of Restorative Dentistry, Division of Dental Materials, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil

    Lourenço Correr-Sobrinho

Authors
  1. Anne Caroline Oenning
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  2. Alexandre Rodrigues Freire
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  3. Ana Cláudia Rossi
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  4. Felippe Bevilacqua Prado
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  5. Paulo Henrique Ferreira Caria
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  6. Lourenço Correr-Sobrinho
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  7. Francisco Haiter-Neto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anne Caroline Oenning.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Oenning, A.C., Freire, A.R., Rossi, A.C. et al. Resorptive potential of impacted mandibular third molars: 3D simulation by finite element analysis. Clin Oral Invest 22, 3195–3203 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-018-2403-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-018-2403-4

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