Dens Invaginatus as a Biomechanical Risk Modifier in Dental Trauma: Finite Element Analysis

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Biomechanics
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Traumatic dental injuries are prevalent in children, impacting well-being.
• Dens invaginatus, a tooth development anomaly, alters morphology and may affect trauma response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze stress and deformation in maxillary lateral incisors with dens invaginatus under dynamic impact.
• To compare biomechanical responses of different dens invaginatus types to a normal tooth.

Main Methods:

• Three-dimensional finite element analysis of four dens invaginatus configurations and a normal incisor model.
• Simulated dynamic impact loading (steel sphere) and static occlusal forces.
• Evaluated stress distribution, deformation, and microstrain patterns.

Main Results:

• Dens invaginatus teeth exhibited 110-130% higher stress and nearly doubled deformation compared to normal teeth.
• Stress, deformation, and microstrain increased with anomaly severity (Type I to IIIb).
• Vertical impacts generated greater stresses; surrounding structures showed 40-70% elevated principal stresses.

Conclusions:

• Dens invaginatus significantly alters incisor biomechanics under trauma, increasing susceptibility.
• Both anomaly type and impact direction influence stress distribution.
• Dens invaginatus is a relevant risk factor in dental trauma assessment.