[Analysis of stress on craniofacial skeleton sutures under protraction with three-dimensional finite element method].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the biomechanical changes of craniofacial skeleton sutures protraction on the craniofacial complex at different angles.


METHODS
A three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) was developed from CT scan images by the technologies of three-dimensional reconstruction, image processing and meshing. The protraction force was applied to labial surface of the maxillary canine respectively from the angle of -40 degrees, 0 degrees or 40 degrees with occlusal plane. Biomechanical changes on different sutures was investigated by means of finite element analysis.


RESULTS
The stress on different sutures exhibited to be the least when protraction force was applied at the angle of -40 degrees with occlusal plane. Meanwhile, stress of frontozygomatic sutures was less than that of other sutures at the same condition. The stress of different points on craniofacial skeleton sutures was not the same in the same condition. Changes of the angles of protraction especially affected the stress of the frontomaxillary- nasalofrontal suture and nasalomaxillary suture.


CONCLUSIONS
The stress of all the craniofacial skeleton sutures is the least when protraction applied from the angle of -40 degrees with occlusal plane. Moreover, the stress of different points on craniofacial skeleton sutures is not the same in the same condition.
Sha
Yan
Y
Department of Stomatology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China. sanhuosy@yahoo.com.cn
Deng
Ying
Y
Fu
Shi-yu
SY
Lv
Chao-xian
CX
Yan
Xiao-jun
XJ
Yang
Lin
L
D002508:Cephalometry; D003393:Cranial Sutures; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D013537:Sutures