Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026

In situ Compressive Loading and Correlative Noninvasive Imaging of the Bone-periodontal Ligament-tooth Fibrous Joint
Published on: March 7, 2014
Analysis of fracture and deformation modes in teeth subjected to occlusal loading
1National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8520, USA. brian.lawn@nist.gov
Abstract:
An analysis of fracture and deformation modes in tooth enamel subjected to occlusal loading is presented. Several competing modes are identified: deformation by yield beneath the indenter; median cracking from the ensuing plastic zone and analogous radial cracking from the dentin-enamel junction along the load axis; and margin cracking from the cervical enamel-cement junction. The analysis, based on a simple model of tooth geometry, presents relations for the critical loads to initiate these damage modes within the enamel, and to drive ensuing cracks longitudinally around the tooth walls to failure. The relations are explicit in their dependence on characteristic tooth dimensions - enamel thickness and cuspal radius - and on material properties - modulus, hardness, toughness and strength. Provision is made to incorporate properties of the occlusal contact, whether from opposing dentition or intervening food particles. All these features are demonstrated on critical-load master diagrams. A characteristic feature of the damage evolution is the gradual evolution of each mode with increasing load, so that failure is generally a prolonged rather than abrupt event. This accounts for the remarkable damage tolerance of natural teeth. The equations may enable basic predictions of tooth responses for humans and animals under a variety of specified dietary and functional conditions.
More Related Videos
07:42Quasistatic Mechanical Testing for Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing Occlusal Veneers Cemented to Milled Dentin Analog Material
Published on: December 20, 2024
08:47Mimicking and Measuring Occlusal Erosive Tooth Wear with the "Rub&Roll" and Non-contact Profilometry
Published on: February 2, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Deformation of Member under Multiple Loadings
In the case of a member with a variable cross-section, the strain is not constant but depends on the position. The deformation of an...
Relation between Poisson's ratio, Modulus of Elasticity and Modulus of Rigidity
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
Deformation of a Beam under Transverse Loading
The insights from the bending moment diagram extend to...
Normal Strain under Axial Loading
Stress: General Loading Conditions
The shearing force, possessing potential directionality within the plane of the section, is simplified into two component forces running parallel to the x and y axes.