Open Access

ARTICLE

Optimum En-Masse Retraction of Six Maxillary Anterior Teeth in Lingual Orthodontics: a Numerical Investigation with 3-Dimensional Finite Element Analysis

Abhishek M. Thote^1,*, Rashmi V. Uddanwadiker¹, Krishna Sharma², Sunita Shrivastava²

1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
2 Department of Orthodontics, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India.
* Corresponding Author: Abhishek M. Thote.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, South Ambazari Road, Nagpur 440010, Maharashtra, India. E-mail: abhishek.thote@students.vnit.ac.in.
Tel.: +91 8446640525, Orcid ID: 0000-0002-7932-9153.

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics 2017, 14(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3970/mcb.2017.014.001

Abstract

The objective of this study was to devise an optimum force system to achieve en-masse retraction of six maxillary anterior teeth in lingual orthodontics (LiO). First, the set of equations was developed based on the mathematical computation to estimate optimum parameters of force system. Then, the computer software based on this mathematical computation was developed for the ease of estimation of force system. The verification of force system obtained with computer software was accomplished by three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA). In FEA, it was clear that the desired en-masse retraction of six maxillary anterior teeth in LiO was achieved as observed from the vectors of nodal displacements as well as positions of undeformed and deformed models. In this way, mathematically computed optimum force system was verified with FEA. For orthodontists, the developed computer software accurately estimates the required force system according to mathematical computation. It simplifies the task of computation for orthodontists. The orthodontists can easily operate this computer software as it is user-friendly. Further, in-vivo validation of this study is required in future before clinical application.

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Keywords

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