FINITE ELEMENT METHOD STUDY: DETERMINATION OF THE CENTER OF ROTATION IN THE PHENOMENON OF ORTHODONTIC TIPPING DEPENDING ON THE POSITION OF THE BRACKET

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to determine through a FEM (Finite Element Method) analysis, the position of the center of rotation of a tooth belonging to a complex structure made of enamel – tooth – pulp – periodontal ligament – alveolar bone, subjected to an external load through a bracket, a component of a fixed orthodontic appliance that produces the tipping phenomenon. Simulations were performed maintaining the same value of the orthodontic force but modifying the position of the bracket along the crown of the tooth. The aim is displacing the position of the center of rotation of a tooth by changing the position of the bracket and the possibility to achieve a controlled tipping, respectively, a tooth rotation at the apical or coronal level.

Keywords

• finite element method
• uncontrolled tipping
• controlled tipping
• center of rotation
• orthodontic force
• displacements