Biomechanical behavior of restored and unrestored mandible with shortened dental arch under vertical loading condition

The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the strain distribution of the compressed mandible bone under the applied restoration-removable partial denture and to compare with the same but unrestored mandible under vertical (occlusal) load and to find out whether removable partial denture-restored or unrestored mandible causes greater strain effect on supporting tissue. Four mandible models were tested during loading for the purpose of strain measuring. Digital image correlation system (GOM - German Optical Measuring, Braunschweig, Germany), used for measuring strain consists of two digital cameras and software ARAMIS (6.2.0, Braunschweig, Germany). Remaining teeth suffer from greater strain in the mandible model without removable partial denture (7.5-10%). On the contrary, mandible with removable partial denture shows the maximum strain below the denture saddle (3.5%). However, it can be noticed that the marginal bone of the second lower praemolar in both experimental models is deformed whether the mandible model has (2.8%) or has not (10%) replacement. Within the limitations of this study the higher strain is observed in mandible model without replacement and the strain is limited locally, in the bone region that surrounds remaining teeth and mental foramen.