Biomechanical validation of an artificial tooth–periodontal ligament–bone complex for in vitro orthodontic load measurement

OBJECTIVES: To develop an artificial tooth-periodontal ligament (PDL)-bone complex (ATPBC) that simulates clinical crown displacement. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An ATPBC was created. It had a socket hosting a tooth with a thin layer of silicon mixture in between for simulating the PDL. The complex was attached to a device that allows applying a controlled force to the crown and measuring the resulting crown displacement. Crown displacements were compared to previously published data for validation. RESULTS: The ATPBC that had a PDL made of two types of silicones, 50% gasket sealant No. 2 and 50% RTV 587 silicone, with a thickness of 0.3 mm, simulated the PDL well. The mechanical behaviors (1) force-displacement relationship, (2) stress relaxation, (3) creep, and (4) hysteresis were validated by the published results. CONCLUSION: The ATPBC simulated the crown displacement behavior reported from biological studies well.