Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 11;9(1):8476. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-44959-w.
The goal of this investigation was to adapt and incorporate a nonlinear viscoelastic material model representative of the midpalatal suture's viscoelastic nature into finite element analysis simulations of maxillary expansion treatment. Step-wise displacements were applied to a partial skull geometry to simulate treatment using an expansion screw appliance. Four simulation cases were considered for the midpalatal and intermaxillary sutures: 1. Neglecting suture tissue; 2. Linear elastic properties; 3. Viscoelastic properties; 4. A fused intermaxillary and viscoelastic midpalatal suture. Results from simulations indicated that removal of suture tissue and inclusion of viscoelastic properties resulted in the same maxillary displacement following 29 activations of 0.125 mm applied directly to the maxilla; however, assuming a fused intermaxillary suture significantly changed maxillary displacement patterns. Initial stress results within the suture complex were significantly influenced by the inclusion of suture viscoelasticity as compared to linear elastic properties. The presented study demonstrates successful incorporation of suture viscoelasticity into finite element analysis simulations of maxillary expansion treatment, and elucidates the appropriateness of various suture material property assumptions depending desired research outcomes.
本研究的目的是将能够代表中隔骨粘弹性的非线性粘弹性材料模型改编并整合到上颌扩张治疗的有限元分析模拟中。逐步的位移施加于部分颅骨几何结构以模拟使用扩张螺丝器具的治疗。中隔和颌间骨缝考虑了四种模拟情况：1. 忽略缝组织；2. 线性弹性特性；3. 粘弹性特性；4. 融合的颌间和粘弹性中隔骨缝。模拟结果表明，在对上颌施加 29 次 0.125mm 的直接激活后，去除缝组织和包含粘弹性特性会导致相同的上颌位移；然而，假设融合的颌间骨缝会显著改变上颌的位移模式。与线性弹性特性相比，在包含缝线粘弹性的情况下，缝线复合体中的初始应力结果会受到显著影响。本研究成功地将缝线粘弹性纳入上颌扩张治疗的有限元分析模拟中，并阐明了根据所需研究结果选择各种缝线材料特性假设的适当性。
