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2017
Doctoral Thesis
Titel
Physically accurate chewing simulation for analyzing dental restorations
Abstract
CAD/CAM software is the state of the art option for replacing a missing or damaged tooth, by virtually designing the replacement, without the need of taking physical imprints of the teeth. When the restoration's shape is not optimal it can cause discomfort, requiring further adjustments. In order to prevent this event, several algorithms are used to optimize the restoration shape based on a number of parameters. In addition, a virtual articulator can be used to simulate a chewing motion and identify contact points between the proposed restoration and the teeth it comes in contact with. In an effort to take this idea one step further, we have developed an application which can simulate the chewing process together with a deformable substrate, an element missing until now. By enhacing the application with this additional feature, we are able to observe not only the interaction between the teeth but also the manner in which they interract with the food, therefore identifying a larger range of possible problem areas. Based on the results of the simulation, the optimal restoration can be chosen, therefore further minimizing the necessity of further adjustments. The movements of the lower jaw are based on data acquired from real life subjects chewing a gummy bear. The deformable substrate is based on a Finite Element method which ensures the realism of the deformations. A collision detection mechanism based on shooting rays through the scene is used to detect active areas and compute the resulting chewing forces. When the stress in the substrate exceeds a certain threshold, the object fractures into multiple deformable pieces which continue to interact with each other until the simulation reaches its end. Throughout the simulation, the collision areas on the teeth as well as the stress areas on the substrate are emphasized with a color map.
ThesisNote
Bremen, Univ., Diss., 2017
Verlagsort
Bremen