Three dimensional finite element analysis of continuous and segmented arches with use of orthodontic miniscrews / 대한치과교정학회지

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the displacement patterns shown by finite element analysis when the maxillary anterior segment was retracted from different orthodontic miniscrew positions and different lengths of lever arms in lingual continuous and segmented arch techniques. METHODS: A three dimensional model was produced, the translation of teeth in both models was measured and individual displacement was calculated. RESULTS: When traction was carried out from miniscrews in the palatal slope, lingual tipping of crowns and extrusion of the maxillary anterior segment were found in both continuous and segmented arches as the lever arms were made shorter. With miniscrews in the midpalatal suture area, the displacement patterns were similar to the palatal slope, but bodily movement of the upper incisors was observed in both continuous and segmented arches with the lever arm at 20 mm. When lever arms were longer, there was less extrusion of the incisors and more buccal displacement of the canines. Such displacement was shown less in the continuous arch than the segmented arch. The second premolar showed crown mesial tipping and intrusion, and the molars showed distal tipping in the continuous arch. The posterior segment was displaced three dimensionally in the segmented arch, but the amount of displacement was less than the continuous arch. CONCLUSIONS: It is recommended that lever arms of 20 mm in length be used for bodily movement of the anterior segment. Use of continuous or segmented arches affect the displacement patterns and induce differences in the amount of displacement.

Three dimentional force analysis of force system in continuous archwire by finite element method / 대한치과교정학회지

It is important to understand the operating mechanism and force system of fixed appliance that most effective for individual tooth movement in various orthodontic appliances. The arch wire system of fixed appliance is devided into 3 types, which is continuous arch, segmented arch and sectional arch. The last two types have longer interbracket distance and simple force operating points, so it is easy to control force system by operator. But the continuous arch has shorter interbracket distance and various bracket geometry, so it is hard to control and anaylze the force system. The purpose of this study was three dimentional force and moment analysis of continuous arch system by finite element method, which is similar situation to three dimentional elastic beam in structural engineering. Several sample form of various bracket geometry and artificial lower crowding typodont made by author were constructed, analyzed and compared each other. The results were as follows: 1. The force magnitude is linear proportional to the degree of displacement or tilting of the bracket. 2. The force magnitude is inversely non-linear proportional to the interbracket distance. 3. In three dimensional typodont model, while the force can be compared with that of the sample form in the area where adjacent bracket geometry is simple, the force is much more than the expected value in the area where adjacent bracket geometry is complex.