Stress Analysis of Fiber-reinforced Maxillary Dentures Under Different Loadings

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare maxillary dentures having different reinforcing materials in terms of stress distribution under concentrated forces applied to anterior and posterior regions. For this purpose, stress analyses of finite element models of 3 mm thick maxillary denture-bone systems were performed by using ANSYS software. First, concentrated forces making various angles, such as 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°, with horizontal axis were applied to the anterior incisor and the posterior molar tooth regions of a maxillary denture without reinforcement material. The results show that the highest stress in critical zones occur at 75° and 45° angles, under loadings of 150 N to molar and 75 N to incisor region, respectively. Secondly, four different reinforcing materials including unidirectional and woven glass fibers, unidirectional carbon fibers, and alloyed chrome—cobalt fibers were placed in the denture in two different positions. Under vertical loadings, the σx stress distributions occurring in critical zones were investigated. It is concluded from the stress analyses that use of Cr—Co as a reinforcing material at the center of the maxillary denture gives the best results in terms of stress distribution and strength.