Finite element analysis model to simulate the behavior of luting cements during setting

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Computational Mechanics

Background:

• Dental luting cements are vital for restoration fixation and sealing gaps between teeth and restorations.
• Curing contraction in luting cements can be hindered by adhesion, leading to stress buildup.
• Maintaining the integrity of the seal requires that these stresses do not exceed the cement's bond or cohesive strength.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a simplified model for predicting setting stresses in dental luting cements.
• To assess the model's suitability for Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in clinical dental restoration scenarios.
• To correlate a model based on liquid, visco-elastic, and elastic phases with observed setting behavior.

Main Methods:

• Commercial luting cement (RelyX ARC) was subjected to dynamic testing to measure stresses, elastic strain, and shrinkage.
• Experiments were conducted on cement layers of varying thicknesses and C-factors (ratio of bonded to free surface).
• Three-dimensional FEA models were developed using experimental parameters, and results were compared to experimental contraction stresses.

Main Results:

• The developed model successfully predicted contraction stresses in cement layers with uniform thickness.
• Thinner cement layers exhibited the smallest plastic deformations and contraction stresses.
• The model demonstrated reliability in predicting experimentally observed stresses.

Conclusions:

• The proposed simplified model is effective for predicting clinical setting stresses in dental restorations.
• FEA, utilizing parameters from this model, can be a valuable tool for understanding stress development.
• These findings contribute to predicting actual stresses occurring within dental restorations.