Theoretical Considerations and a Mathematical Model for the Analysis of the Biomechanical Response of Human Keratinized Oral Mucosa.
Removable complete and partial dentures are supported by the residual alveolar ridges consisting of mucosa, submucosa, periosteum, and bone. An understanding of the biomechanical behavior of the oral mucosa is essential in order to improve the denture-bearing foundations for complete and partially edentulous patients. The purpose of this paper was to examine the biomechanical behavior of the soft tissues supporting a removable denture and develop a model for that reason. Keratinized oral mucosa blocks with their underlying bone were harvested from the maxillary palatal area adjacent to the edentulous ridges of a cadaver. The compressive response of the oral mucosa was tested by using atomic force microscopy. The specimens were first scanned in order their topography to be obtained. The mechanical properties of the specimens were tested using a single crystal silicon pyramidal tip, which traversed toward the keratinized oral mucosa specimens. Loading-unloading cycles were registered and four mathematical models were tested using MATLAB to note which one approximates the force-displacement curve as close as possible: a. spherical, b. conical, c. third order polynomial, d. Murphy (fourth order polynomial, non-linear Hertzian based). The third order polynomial model showed the best accuracy in representing the force-displacement data of the tested specimens. A model was developed in order to analyze the biomechanical behavior of the human oral keratinized mucosa and obtain information about its mechanical properties.
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece.
Aikaterini
A
Tsaira
Laboratory of Thin Films-Nanosystems and Nanometrology, School of Physics, Aristotle UniversityThessaloniki, Greece; Department of Engineering, Cambridge Graphene Centre, Cambridge UniversityCambridge, UK.
Panagiotis
P
Karagiannidis
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece.
Margarita
M
Sidira
Laboratory of Thin Films-Nanosystems and Nanometrology, School of Physics, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece.
Spyros
S
Kassavetis
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Engineering, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece.
Dimitris
D
Kugiumtzis
Laboratory of Thin Films-Nanosystems and Nanometrology, School of Physics, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece.
Stergios
S
Logothetidis
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece.
Olga
O
Naka
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece.
Argirios
A
Pissiotis
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, Aristotle UniversityThessaloniki, Greece; Division of Graduate and Postgraduate Prosthodontics, Tufts University School of Dental MedicineBoston, MA, USA.
Konstantinos
K
Michalakis
atomic force microscopy; contact mechanics; curve fitting; human oral keratinized mucosa; mathematical model; oral tissue mechanics; polynomial model