An evaluation of the fatigue crack resistance of human dentin was conducted to identify the degree of degradation that arises with aging and the dependency on tubule orientation. Fatigue crack growth was achieved in specimens of coronal dentin through application of Mode I cyclic loading and over clinically relevant lengths (0 ≤ a ≤ 2 mm). The study considered two directions of cyclic crack growth in which the crack was either in-plane (0°) or perpendicular (90°) to the dentin tubules. Results showed that regardless of tubule orientation, aging of dentin is accompanied by a significant reduction in the resistance to the initiation of fatigue crack growth, as well as a significant increase in the rate of incremental extension. Perpendicular to the tubules, the fatigue crack exponent increased significantly (from m=14.2±1.5 to 24.1±5.0), suggesting an increase in brittleness of the tissue with age. For cracks extending in plane with the tubules, the fatigue crack growth exponent does not change significantly with patient age (from m=25.4±3.03 to 22.9±5.3), but there is a significant increase in the incremental crack growth rate. Regardless of age, coronal dentin exhibits the lowest resistance to fatigue crack growth perpendicular to the tubules. While there are changes in the cyclic crack growth rate and mechanisms of cyclic extension with aging, this tissue maintains its anisotropy.

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Tooth fracture is a major concern in the field of restorative dentistry. However, knowledge of the causes for tooth fracture has developed from contributions that are largely based within the field of mechanics. The present manuscript presents a technical review of advances in understanding the fracture of teeth and the fatigue and fracture behavior of their hard tissues (i.e., dentin and enamel). The importance of evaluating the fracture resistance of these materials, and the role of applied mechanics in developing this knowledge will be reviewed. In addition, the complex microstructures of tooth tissues, their roles in resisting tooth fracture, and the importance of hydration and aging on the fracture resistance of tooth tissues will be discussed. Studies in this area are essential for increasing the success of current treatments in dentistry, as well as in facilitating the development of novel bio-inspired restorative materials for the future.

Fracture of root‐filled teeth is not uncommon and appears to be a complex function of both the treatment and the patient's oral regimen. However, there have been few studies aimed at understanding the intrinsic mechanical behavior of dentin and its relevance to the incidence of these fractures. In addition, there has been some controversy over whether the fracture of root‐filled teeth is attributed primarily to loss of tooth structure or if there are other contributing factors. A comprehensive understanding of the structure and mechanical behavior of dentin is of substantial importance to the success of endodontic therapy. Specifically, the importance of fatigue on tooth fractures and the resistance of tissues to both the initiation and propagation of cracks have received scant attention. As well, regional variations in these properties and the contribution of changes in microstructure to the fatigue and fracture behavior are not well understood. This article reviews the importance of microstructure on the mechanical behavior of dentin and compares the mechanical properties of tissue from the root and crown. Also, the changes in microstructure with aging are discussed as well as their importance to the incidence of tooth fracture.

There are concerns regarding the longevity of resin composite restorations and the clinical relevance of in vitro bond strength testing to the durability of dentin bonds in vivo. Objective The objectives of this investigation were to: 1) develop a new method of experimental evaluation for quantifying the durability of dentin bonds, 2) apply this method to characterize the interfacial strength of a selected commercial system under both monotonic and cyclic loading, and 3) distinguish mechanisms contributing to the interface degradation and failure. Methods A new method for fatigue testing the resin-dentin interface was developed based on a four-point flexure arrangement that includes two identical bonded interfaces. Cyclic loading of specimens comprised of coronal dentin bonded to a commercial resin composite and controls of resin composite was performed to failure within a hydrated environment. Scanning electron microscopy and nanoscopic dynamic mechanical analysis were used to evaluate failure mechanisms. Results The fatigue strength of the resin-dentin interface was significantly lower (p≤0.0001) than that of the resin composite and reported for dentin over the entire finite life regime. Defined at 1×107 cycles, the apparent endurance limit of the resin-dentin interface was 13 MPa, in comparison to 48 MPa and 44 MPa for the resin composite and dentin, respectively. The ratio of fully reversed endurance limit to ultimate strength of the interface (0.26) was the lowest of the three materials. Significance The proposed approach for characterizing the fatigue strength of resin-dentin bonds may offer new insights concerning durability of the bonded interface.

The fatigue and fracture behavior of hard tissues are topics of considerable interest today. This special group of organic materials comprises the highly mineralized and load-bearing tissues of the human body, and includes bone, cementum, dentin and enamel. An understanding of their fatigue behavior and the influence of loading conditions and physiological factors (e.g. aging and disease) on the mechanisms of degradation are essential for achieving lifelong health. But there is much more to this topic than the immediate medical issues. There are many challenges to characterizing the fatigue behavior of hard tissues, much of which is attributed to size constraints and the complexity of their microstructure. The relative importance of the constituents on the type and distribution of defects, rate of coalescence, and their contributions to the initiation and growth of cracks, are formidable topics that have not reached maturity. Hard tissues also provide a medium for learning and a source of inspiration in the design of new microstructures for engineering materials. This article briefly reviews fatigue of hard tissues with shared emphasis on current understanding, the challenges and the unanswered questions.

The durability of resin-dentin bonds is a growing concern in the placement of composite restorations. Most reported evaluations concerning the mechanical behavior of the bonded interface are conducted using static loading to failure only. They also do not account for the acid production of biofilms, which is one of the most common contributors to interfacial failures in vivo. In this investigation resin-dentin bonded interface specimens were exposed to S. mutans for 14 days and then subjected to quasi-static or cyclic four-point flexure to failure. Control specimens (without biofilm) were evaluated after aging for one and fourteen days. While no significant difference in flexure strength resulted from the duration of water aging (66.2 MPa vs 56.9 MPa), biofilm exposure caused a significant reduction in strength (29.3 MPa; p≤0.000). After water aging for one and fourteen days the apparent endurance limits were 13.0 MPa and 13.1 MPa, respectively. Biofilm treatment caused a significant (p≤0.001) reduction in fatigue resistance of the interface, and the endurance limit was reduced to 9.9 MPa. Fatigue failure of the control specimens initiated within the resin composite adjacent to the interface, whereas failure of the biofilm treated specimens initiated within the hybrid layer and appeared attributed to the localized demineralization of dentin. Biofilm degradation is an important consideration in assessing the durability of resin-dentin bonds.

A supplemental appendix to this article is published electronically only at http://jdr.sagepub.com/supplemental.