title: Microstructural properties of the mid-facial bones in relation to the distribution of occlusal loading.
abstract: Although the concept of the occlusal load transfer through the facial skeleton along the buttresses has been extensively studied, there has been no study to link microarchitecture of the mid-facial bones to the occlusal load distribution. The aim of this study was to analyze micro-structural properties of the mid-facial bones in relation to occlusal stress. The study was performed by combining the three-dimensional finite element analysis (3D FEA) and micro-computed tomography analysis (micro-CT). Clenching was simulated on the computer model of the adult male human skull which was also used as a source of bone specimens. After the FEA was run, stress was measured at the specific sites in cortical shell and trabecular bone of the model along and between the buttresses. From the corresponding sites on the skull, twenty-five cortical and thirteen cancellous bone specimens were harvested. The specimens were classified into high stress or low stress group based on the stress levels measured via the FEA. Micro-architecture of each specimen was assessed by micro-CT. In the high stress group, cortical bone showed a tendency toward greater thickness and density, lower porosity, and greater pore separation. Stress-related differences in microstructure between the groups were more pronounced in trabecular bone, which showed significantly greater bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) in the high stress group. Our results suggest that the mid-facial bones in the adult dentate male skull exhibit regional variations in cortical and trabecular bone micro-architecture that could be a consequence of different occlusal stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Dentistry, University of Belgrade, 6 Rankeova, 11 000 Belgrade, Serbia; Laboratory for Anthropology, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 4/2 Dr Subotica, 11 000 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Aleksa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janovic
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Anthropology, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 4/2 Dr Subotica, 11 000 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Petar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Milovanovic
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Research and Development Center (BioIRC), Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, 6 Prvoslava Stojanovica, 34 000 Kragujevac, Serbia.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saveljic
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Research and Development Center (BioIRC), Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, 6 Prvoslava Stojanovica, 34 000 Kragujevac, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dalibor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nikolic
authors.affiliation: Department of Osteology & Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 59 Lottestr., D-22529 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Dentistry, University of Belgrade, 6 Rankeova, 11 000 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rakocevic
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Research and Development Center (BioIRC), Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, 6 Prvoslava Stojanovica, 34 000 Kragujevac, Serbia.
authors.forename: Nenad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Filipovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Osteology & Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 59 Lottestr., D-22529 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amling
authors.affiliation: Department of Osteology & Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 59 Lottestr., D-22529 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Bjoern
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Busse
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Anthropology, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 4/2 Dr Subotica, 11 000 Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: marijadjuric5@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Djuric
mesh_terms: D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D016474:Weight-Bearing
keywords: Bone; Finite element analysis; Micro-CT; Micro-architecture; Mid-facial skeleton