BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to investigate the behavior of hard dental structures of the teeth with abfraction lesions when experimental occlusal loads were applied.
METHODS: A 65-year-old patient came to the dentist because she had painful sensitivity in the temporomandibular joints and the lower right premolars. The patient was examined, and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) of the orofacial area was indicated. The data provided from the CBCT were processed with Mimics Innovation Suite 17 software to create the desired anatomical area in 3D format. Then, the structural calculation module was used in order to perform a finite element analysis of the lower right premolar teeth. A focused review of articles published between 2014 and 2023 from specialty literature regarding the FEA of premolars with abfraction lesions was also conducted.
RESULTS: The parcel area and the cervical third of the analyzed premolars proved to be the most vulnerable areas under the inclined direction of occlusal loads. The inclined application of experimental loads induced 3-4 times higher maximum shears, stresses, and deformations than the axial application of the same forces.
CONCLUSIONS: FEA can be used to identify structural deficiencies in teeth with abfractions, a fact that is particularly important during dental treatments to correct occlusal imbalances.

UNASSIGNED: The aim of this study was to assess the stress distribution of the zygomatic implants in maxillectomy cases and to understand the long-term prognosis of this rehabilitation option using finite element analysis.
UNASSIGNED: A three-dimensional finite element model was designed using computed tomography of a patient who underwent maxillectomy post-mucormycosis. Zygomatic implants and abutments were designed based on the manufacturer\'s design. Quad zygomatic implants were placed in the canine and premolar region into the zygomatic bone bilaterally. A prosthesis with an entire complement of teeth extending from the first molar teeth bilaterally was designed and attached to the multiunit abutments and zygomatic implants. Forces were applied to the zygomatic implants at six different locations bilaterally on the prosthesis which included occlusal and laterally directed forces on the central incisor region, canine region, and molar region using von Mises criteria. A three-dimensional finite element analysis was run, and maximum stress distribution was recorded at various loads. Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows version 22.0 Released 2013. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp., was used to perform statistical analyses. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the mean stress values. Multiple comparisons of mean difference in stress values between force applications in implant were done using Dunn\'s post hoc test.
UNASSIGNED: The maximum stress was observed at the distal head of the implant in the models. Minimum stress was observed at the apex of the implant in the models. The mean stress values based on force application in the bone and fixed prosthesis showed less significance when compared to the zygomatic implants which was statistically significant at p = 0.03.

For anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R), one of the crucial aspects of treatment is the fixator selection that could provide initial graft fixation post-operatively. Literature on biomechanical stabilities of different sizes of fixators as femoral graft fixation is limited. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the influence of different diameters of cross-pins on the stability of graft fixations after ACL-R via finite element analysis (FEA). In the methodology, three-dimensional (3D) models of three different diameters of cross-pins were developed, of which anterior tibial loads (ATL) were applied onto the tibia. From the findings, the cross-pin with a smaller diameter (4 mm) provided optimum stability than larger diameter cross-pins, whereby it demonstrated acceptable stresses at the fixators (both cross-pin and interference screw) with a different percentage of 28%, while the stresses at the corresponding bones were favourable for osseointegration to occur. Besides, the strains of the knee joint with 4 mm diameter cross-pin were also superior in providing a good biomechanical environment for bone healing, while the recorded strain values at fixators were comparable with a larger diameter of cross-pins without being inferior in terms of deformation. To conclude, the cross-pin with 4 mm diameter depicted the best biomechanical aspects in graft fixation for ACL-R since it allows better assistance for the osseointegration process and can minimise the possibility of the breakage and migration of fixators. This study is not only useful for medical surgeons to justify their choices of pin diameter to treat patients, but also for researchers to conduct future studies.

Introduction: Current recommendations for surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) rely on the assessment of aortic diameter as a marker for risk of rupture. The use of aortic size alone may overlook the role that vessel heterogeneity plays in aneurysmal progression and rupture risk. The aim of the current study was to investigate intra-patient heterogeneity of mechanical and fluid mechanical stresses on the aortic wall and wall tissue histopathology from tissue collected at the time of surgical repair. Methods: Finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were used to predict the mechanical wall stress and the wall shear stress fields for a non-ruptured aneurysm 2 weeks prior to scheduled surgery. During open repair surgery one specimen partitioned into different regions was collected from the patient\'s diseased aorta according to a pre-operative map. Histological analysis and mechanical testing were performed on the aortic samples and the results were compared with the predicted stresses. Results: The preoperative simulations highlighted the presence of altered local hemodynamics particularly at the proximal segment of the left anterior area of the aneurysm. Results from the post-operative assessment on the surgical samples revealed a considerable heterogeneity throughout the aortic wall. There was a positive correlation between elastin fragmentation and collagen content in the media. The tensile tests demonstrated a good prediction of the locally varying constitutive model properties predicted using geometrical variables, i.e., wall thickness and thrombus thickness. Conclusions: The observed large regional differences highlight the local response of the tissue to both mechanical and biological factors. Aortic size alone appears to be insufficient to characterize the large degree of heterogeneity in the aneurysmal wall. Local assessment of wall vulnerability may provide better risk of rupture predictions.

The prevalence of the elderly population, as well as life expectancy, increased in the final decades of the 20th century, as described in the World Health Organization 2004 Annual Report. The edentulous condition therefore has a negative impact on the oral health-related quality of life. Patients wearing complete dentures for many years infact, and especially in the mandible, are often unsatisfied because of the instability of the prosthesis during speaking and eating. To date dental implant treatment is well documented as a predictable treatment for partial or complete edentulism. On the other hand the rehabilitation of atrophied edentulous arches with endosseous implants (> 10 mm) in the posterior regions is often associated with anatomic problems such as bone resorption, poor bone quality, mandibular canal, and the presence of maxillary sinuses. Different procedures have been proposed to overcome these anatomic limitations. The use of tilted implants parallel to the anterior wall of the maxillary sinus or the mental foramen/inferior alveolar nerve has been proposed as a conservative solution for the treatment of the atrophic edentulous maxilla. Aim of this study was to describe, through a detailed literature review, the clinical and biomechanical rationale for tilting implants and to evaluate the long-term prognosis of immediately loaded full fixed prostheses for the treatment of edentulous patients (#35) with extreme bone atrophy rehabilited with both axial (#70) and tilted (#70) implants from 2008 to 2010. The results of the present study would suggest that this new surgical technique may reduce patient morbidity and extend the indications for immediate loading full fixed rehabilitations. This improves the predictability of treatment goal, allows for a better risk management, and provides more individual information for the patient. These are the most important aspects of this technology, which may contribute to establish higher-quality standards in implantology.