Analysis of stress distribution in a maxillary central incisor subjected to various post and adhesive resin cement applications by using a three dimensional finite element method

The purpose of this study is to analyze the stress distribution in a maxillary central incisor by using a three dimensional Finite Element Method. The tooth considered was assumed to have sound and weakened roots together with post and adhesive cement applications of different materials. The study was conducted by using ANSYS package program. Light-Post?, Aestheti-Plus Post?, RelyX? Fiber Post, D.T.Light-Post® Illusion? X-Ro?, Snow Post applications were considered for teeth with sound roots. In each post application Panavia? F 2.0, Clearfil? SA Cement and RelyX? Unicem 2 adhesive cements were utilized. For the teeth which were assumed to be slightly or heavily weakened, only two different post applications of Light-Post? and Aestheti-Plus Post? were considered together with two different adhesive cement applications. In all the teeth models studied, the restoration was made by using composite resin core Filtek? Z250 Universal Restorative and ceramic crown IPS Empress®. A 200 N force, which made 26° with the longitudinal axis of the tooth, was applied on the incisal side and the stress distributions were calculated by using Three Dimensional Finite Element Method. The results revealed that the stress distributions, although not significant, were different for different post applications. This was attributed to the Young?s Moduli of the posts. The posts with higher Young?s Modulus resulted in von Mises stress values. Although they were different the stress levels by no means close to the so called dangerous levels which could lead to probable fracture in the teeth. On the other hand different adhesive cements were found to yield not appreciable differences in the stress levels for the same post applications. Keywords: Post, adhesive resin cement, Finite Element Method