With structural and physiological functions, the periodontal ligament (PDL) is a complex component of the periodontium. It maintains the tooth in its equilibrium position and provides support within its bony socket. Additionally, the PDL is involved in tooth eruption and migration, orthodontic treatment-associated bone remodelling and root resorption, and the healing processes of disease and trauma. Despite wide-ranging studies, many of its biological and structural functions and characteristics remain poorly understood. As a load-bearing structure, the PDL's complexity derives from its anisotropy, as it consists of discrete components and functional elements, namely the matrix and the reinforcing principal fibers. 1,2 Moreover, as are most biological tissues, the PDL is characterised as a viscoelastic (VE) material. 3,4 Viscoelastic materials exhibit time-dependent mechanical behaviours, with 'creep' and 'recovery' specifically relevant to this study. Typically, while a constant force is applied to a VE material, it tends to continuously deform (creep). After the force is removed, the material tends to return towards its original dimensions (recovery) (https://polym erdat abase.com). In contrast, metals, for example, categorised as elastic-plastic materials, do not possess time-dependent features. Note that this is not a study of viscoelasticity, per se; rather, it is about its expression in the mechanical environment of occlusal contacts.This study represents the evolution of bench-top research in which the forces experienced by paired occluding (denture, ceramic and stainless steel) molars and full dentiform arches were measured. [5][6][7][8] In those studies, the teeth were rigidly attached (i.e.
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