Do erupted third molars weaken the mandibular angle after trauma to the chin region? A 3D finite element study

Abstract

It has been suggested that third molars increase mandibular fragility because they do not contribute to its strength. For ethical reasons, a human study design that would permit the elucidation of this interference is not possible. This study evaluated the impact of the presence of erupted third molars on the mandibular angle of resistance when submitted to trauma. A three-dimensional (3D) mandibular model was obtained through finite element methodology using computed tomography (CT) with the geometry and mechanical properties to reproduce a normal mandibular structure. Human mandibles with no, one or two erupted third molars were evaluated. Whenever the third molar was present there was a greater concentration of tensions around the cervical part of its alveolus. Approximated Von Mises equivalent stress of the third molar region was 107.035 MPa in the mandible with teeth and 64.6948 MPa in the mandible without teeth. In the condylar region it was 151.65 MPa when the third molar was present and 184.496 MPa when it was absent. The digital models created proved that the mandibular angle becomes more fragile in the presence of third molars. When they are absent the energy concentrates on the lateral e posterior aspect of the condylar neck.

Concomitant dental injuries in maxillofacial fractures - a retrospective analysis of 1219 patients

“…As punches often hit the mandible, this may well be the reason for the high number of wisdom teeth involved; wisdom teeth play an important role as a weak point in the mandible, making it prone for fractures of the mandibular angle (26)(27)(28).Motor vehicle accidents in our study totaled only 13%. Given that this group plays the main role for dental or maxillofacial traumatization in studies (15,18,29) from other countries, this number might be an argument for the high security standard, including the obligation to buckle up or wear protective headgear as a motorcyclist.…”

3D Bio-Cad modeling of human mandible and fabrication by rapid-prototyping technology

“…The young modulus can be calculated using different equation. In the literature, the young modulus of cortical bone ranges between 13-39 GPa [5,11,12], and the young modulus of cancellous bone ranges between 500 and 1500 MPa [12]. The situation shows that the obtained values of young modulus for cortical and cancellous bone are available value and can be used as mechanical properties for FEA simulation.…”

“…The mandible is one of the bones most susceptible to trauma in the facial region due to its more projected position in the facial skeleton [5]. The biomechanical behavior of the mandible is very important in various clinical situations.…”

Evaluation of Biodegradable Fixation System for Mandibular Angulus Fracture by Using Finite Element Method

“…FEA is a numerical approach that addresses the complexity of the modeling by deriving an approximation to the solution. FEA has been used previously to evaluate the treatment of facial fractures [1][2][3][4][5]. Especially, O. Atali et al reported strong correlation between FEA and experiments [2].…”