Investigation of biomechanical effects of vertical chin cap on mandible in open bite cases by finite element method.

Aim of this finite element stress analysis study was to evaluate the stress modells of vertical chincup therapy which exerts orthopedic forces along dentofacial structures by the use of two different three dimensional geometric models.Cone beam computed-tomography was used to construct a three dimensional finite element model of the dentofacial structure to simulate actual bone reactions. Model I consisted several skull bones and teeth with a total of 617586 tetrahedral finite elements, 130420 nodes, Model II consisted several skull bones and teeth with a total of 578410 tetrahedral finite elements, 120673 nodes. ABAQUS (ABAQUS Version 6.8.1, Hibbitt, Karlsson & Sorensen Ins.-HKS) programme was used for the evaluation of stress in the dentofacial structures generated by a 5 N orthopedic force.Stress generation in mandible, maxilla, lower-upper dentititon and maxillo-cranial sutures were examined in this study in which stress distributions of Model I and Model II were evaluated together.It is pointed out that the direction and amounts of transferred stress to the jaws can be effected by the individual skeletal structure and besides dental characteristics can also be influential.In this research data obtained from different stress levels of deeper and superficial bone layers can contribute the evaluation of responses formed at bone level by orthopedic mechanical force implications.Evaluation of shifts at cephalometric referance points caused by stress amount and distribution variations; can provide a more detailed assesment of orthodontic treatment outcomes in jaws and dentition related anatomical structures.