The tooth-denture base bond: stress analysis using the finite element method.

Although acrylic resin teeth are the most popular artificial teeth used for denture construction, a high number fracture away at the tooth-denture base interface. Various causes have been documented for this failure; however, it is logical that eventual fracture occurs due to localised tensile stresses at this interface. Examination of these stresses using the finite element method showed that on load application to the upper incisors, the maximum tensile stresses were concentrated within the body of the tooth and not at the tooth-denture base interface. Stresses encountered at the interface were relatively low and introduction of a crack made no significant difference to their magnitude.