Finite Element Evaluation of the Effect of Adhesive Creams on the Stress State of Dentures and Abutment Teeth

The appropriate fit of removable partial dentures (RPDs) is hypothesized to lead to lower tooth mobility. An adhesive layer between the denture and oral mucosa can facilitate better denture retention and therefore increased stability. Study objectives were to model and compare the response of abutment structures with and without the application of a denture adhesive and to observe the stress response of abutment periodontal ligaments (PDLs) during the application of occlusal force on the RPD. A 3D finite element (FE) model was developed from computer tomography datasets of the mandibular region and the RPD. An adhesive layer was developed by extending the denture surface and using the Prony series approximation of rheological data to implement a viscoelastic material model. FE simulations were performed by applying a bite force on one of the denture segments, with the resulting deformation in PDL compared between the model with the adhesive layer and the base model without. The maximum deformation of 15μm was observed in the 2nd molar abutment PDL with the implementation of the adhesive, as compared to 42μm for the model without. The lower impact of RPDs on the supporting abutment teeth could potentially reduce the discomfort of denture wearers.