Evaluation of the temperature generated by different gutta cutters in dental and surrounding tissues using finite element analysis

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of gutta cutters applied at different temperatures on the tooth and surrounding tissues by using finite element analysis, focusing on heat transfer and the resulting tissue alterations. In this study, a healthy maxillary central incisor extracted for periodontal reasons was scanned using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to create a three-dimensional model. The obtained data were processed using appropriate software, and the enamel, dentin, pulp, and periodontal ligament layers were segmented. The model was positioned within the bone tissue, and the heating tip of the Elements IC Obturation System's downpack unit was added realistically. All structures were transferred to ANSYS Workbench software, where meshing was performed and mechanical and thermal properties were assigned. During the thermal analysis, temperatures of 200°C and 210°C were applied for short durations, and time-dependent temperature and stress distributions were evaluated. The results were further supported by structural analysis to examine the potential mechanical consequences of thermal effects on dental tissues. The analysis showed that the maximum temperature occurred in the gutta-percha region where the downpack unit was in contact, while temperature rapidly decreased with distance from the surface. No significant temperature change was observed in the enamel, which remained close to ambient temperature. In dentin, temperatures reached 42.7°C at 200°C and 43.1°C at 210°C, whereas changes in alveolar bone temperature were negligible. Structural analysis results indicated maximum stress values of 0.304 MPa in gutta-percha, approximately 4.2 MPa in dentin, and 7.75 MPa in alveolar bone. The highest stress was observed in the enamel, with 30 MPa, corresponding to its highest elastic modulus. These findings demonstrate that the applied heat was transmitted only to a limited extent to the outer dental tissues, with stress concentrations primarily occurring in the internal regions.