Finite Element Analysis of Stress Distribution in Monolithic High-Translucency Zirconia Dental Prostheses

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: High-translucency zirconia is a dental ceramic offering excellent aesthetic results but with mechanical limitations restricting its applications. This study aimed to simulate the mechanical behavior of anatomical dental prostheses made from high-translucency...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fernando Araújo da Costa Ward, Luciano Pessanha Moreira, Pedro Araújo da Costa Ward, Paula Cipriano da Silva, Manuel Fellipe Rodrigues Pais Alves, Claudinei Santos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Oral
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6373/5/1/15
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849342402316206080
author Fernando Araújo da Costa Ward
Luciano Pessanha Moreira
Pedro Araújo da Costa Ward
Paula Cipriano da Silva
Manuel Fellipe Rodrigues Pais Alves
Claudinei Santos
author_facet Fernando Araújo da Costa Ward
Luciano Pessanha Moreira
Pedro Araújo da Costa Ward
Paula Cipriano da Silva
Manuel Fellipe Rodrigues Pais Alves
Claudinei Santos
author_sort Fernando Araújo da Costa Ward
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives</b>: High-translucency zirconia is a dental ceramic offering excellent aesthetic results but with mechanical limitations restricting its applications. This study aimed to simulate the mechanical behavior of anatomical dental prostheses made from high-translucency zirconia using the finite element method (FEM) to assess the material’s reliability. <b>Methods:</b> Samples of high-translucency zirconia were compacted, sintered, and characterized for relative density. Structural and microstructural analyses were performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Its mechanical properties, including hardness, fracture toughness, and flexural strength, were measured. Additionally, elastic parameters such as Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio were determined using the impulse excitation technique and subsequently employed in numerical simulations under various masticatory loads (50 to 500 N). These simulations modeled an anatomical molar (tooth 26) using the HyperMesh and ABAQUS codes, applying loads from three directions: vertical, angular (45°), and horizontal, at different points on the prosthesis. <b>Results:</b> The sintered zirconia ceramics exhibited excellent densification and a microstructure composed of cubic and tetragonal grains (c-ZrO<sub>2</sub> and t-ZrO<sub>2</sub>). The measured properties included a hardness of 1315 ± 48 HV, fracture toughness of 3.7 ± 0.2 MPam<sup>1/2</sup>, and flexural strength of 434 ± 67 MPa. Elastic parameters were determined as a Young’s modulus of 192.2 ± 4.8 GPa and a Poisson’s ratio of 0.31. Numerical simulations demonstrated that vertically applied loads of 500 N resulted in a maximum stress of approximately 299.2 MPa, horizontal stress reached 320.8 MPa at a 200 N load, and angular stress peaked at 447.3 MPa under a 350 N load. These findings indicate that the material can safely withstand these conditions without failure. <b>Conclusions:</b> Within the limits of this investigation, the methodology proved to be an effective tool for predicting the mechanical behavior of new dental ceramics. For high-translucency zirconia, the material demonstrated high reliability under masticatory vertical loads up to 500 N, angular loads up to 350 N, and horizontal loads up to 200 N.
format Article
id doaj-art-af1a1831f27f4a84917a075098568b5b
institution Kabale University
issn 2673-6373
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Oral
spelling doaj-art-af1a1831f27f4a84917a075098568b5b2025-08-20T03:43:25ZengMDPI AGOral2673-63732025-03-01511510.3390/oral5010015Finite Element Analysis of Stress Distribution in Monolithic High-Translucency Zirconia Dental ProsthesesFernando Araújo da Costa Ward0Luciano Pessanha Moreira1Pedro Araújo da Costa Ward2Paula Cipriano da Silva3Manuel Fellipe Rodrigues Pais Alves4Claudinei Santos5Escola de Engenharia Industrial Metalúrgica de Volta Redonda, Universidade Federal Fluminense, UFF/EEIMVR, Volta Redonda 27.255-125, RJ, BrazilEscola de Engenharia Industrial Metalúrgica de Volta Redonda, Universidade Federal Fluminense, UFF/EEIMVR, Volta Redonda 27.255-125, RJ, BrazilEscola de Engenharia Industrial Metalúrgica de Volta Redonda, Universidade Federal Fluminense, UFF/EEIMVR, Volta Redonda 27.255-125, RJ, BrazilEscola de Engenharia Industrial Metalúrgica de Volta Redonda, Universidade Federal Fluminense, UFF/EEIMVR, Volta Redonda 27.255-125, RJ, BrazilFaculdade de Tecnologia de Resende UERJ/FAT, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Resende 27.537-000, RJ, BrazilFaculdade de Tecnologia de Resende UERJ/FAT, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Resende 27.537-000, RJ, Brazil<b>Background/Objectives</b>: High-translucency zirconia is a dental ceramic offering excellent aesthetic results but with mechanical limitations restricting its applications. This study aimed to simulate the mechanical behavior of anatomical dental prostheses made from high-translucency zirconia using the finite element method (FEM) to assess the material’s reliability. <b>Methods:</b> Samples of high-translucency zirconia were compacted, sintered, and characterized for relative density. Structural and microstructural analyses were performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Its mechanical properties, including hardness, fracture toughness, and flexural strength, were measured. Additionally, elastic parameters such as Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio were determined using the impulse excitation technique and subsequently employed in numerical simulations under various masticatory loads (50 to 500 N). These simulations modeled an anatomical molar (tooth 26) using the HyperMesh and ABAQUS codes, applying loads from three directions: vertical, angular (45°), and horizontal, at different points on the prosthesis. <b>Results:</b> The sintered zirconia ceramics exhibited excellent densification and a microstructure composed of cubic and tetragonal grains (c-ZrO<sub>2</sub> and t-ZrO<sub>2</sub>). The measured properties included a hardness of 1315 ± 48 HV, fracture toughness of 3.7 ± 0.2 MPam<sup>1/2</sup>, and flexural strength of 434 ± 67 MPa. Elastic parameters were determined as a Young’s modulus of 192.2 ± 4.8 GPa and a Poisson’s ratio of 0.31. Numerical simulations demonstrated that vertically applied loads of 500 N resulted in a maximum stress of approximately 299.2 MPa, horizontal stress reached 320.8 MPa at a 200 N load, and angular stress peaked at 447.3 MPa under a 350 N load. These findings indicate that the material can safely withstand these conditions without failure. <b>Conclusions:</b> Within the limits of this investigation, the methodology proved to be an effective tool for predicting the mechanical behavior of new dental ceramics. For high-translucency zirconia, the material demonstrated high reliability under masticatory vertical loads up to 500 N, angular loads up to 350 N, and horizontal loads up to 200 N.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6373/5/1/15zirconia dental ceramicsmechanical propertiesfinite element methodstress distributionbiomechanical simulation
spellingShingle Fernando Araújo da Costa Ward
Luciano Pessanha Moreira
Pedro Araújo da Costa Ward
Paula Cipriano da Silva
Manuel Fellipe Rodrigues Pais Alves
Claudinei Santos
Finite Element Analysis of Stress Distribution in Monolithic High-Translucency Zirconia Dental Prostheses
Oral
zirconia dental ceramics
mechanical properties
finite element method
stress distribution
biomechanical simulation
title Finite Element Analysis of Stress Distribution in Monolithic High-Translucency Zirconia Dental Prostheses
title_full Finite Element Analysis of Stress Distribution in Monolithic High-Translucency Zirconia Dental Prostheses
title_fullStr Finite Element Analysis of Stress Distribution in Monolithic High-Translucency Zirconia Dental Prostheses
title_full_unstemmed Finite Element Analysis of Stress Distribution in Monolithic High-Translucency Zirconia Dental Prostheses
title_short Finite Element Analysis of Stress Distribution in Monolithic High-Translucency Zirconia Dental Prostheses
title_sort finite element analysis of stress distribution in monolithic high translucency zirconia dental prostheses
topic zirconia dental ceramics
mechanical properties
finite element method
stress distribution
biomechanical simulation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6373/5/1/15
work_keys_str_mv AT fernandoaraujodacostaward finiteelementanalysisofstressdistributioninmonolithichightranslucencyzirconiadentalprostheses
AT lucianopessanhamoreira finiteelementanalysisofstressdistributioninmonolithichightranslucencyzirconiadentalprostheses
AT pedroaraujodacostaward finiteelementanalysisofstressdistributioninmonolithichightranslucencyzirconiadentalprostheses
AT paulaciprianodasilva finiteelementanalysisofstressdistributioninmonolithichightranslucencyzirconiadentalprostheses
AT manuelfelliperodriguespaisalves finiteelementanalysisofstressdistributioninmonolithichightranslucencyzirconiadentalprostheses
AT claudineisantos finiteelementanalysisofstressdistributioninmonolithichightranslucencyzirconiadentalprostheses