Abstract
Introduction: In clinical use the clasp arms may be chosen within the limits of the real conditions, but a design producing less stress is the most important parameter.
The aim of the study was to create digital three-dimensional teeth and cast clasps models in order to design and optimize dental clasp arms.
Materials and Methods: Plaster teeth were scanned and the data were processed in order to create continuous surfaces of the teeth and to generate solids. Purposely designed experimental three-dimensional models of the clasp arms were constructed on the teeth surface and imported in a finite element analysis software for structural simulations. Results were displayed as colored stress contour plots to identify regions of different stress concentrations.
Discussion: The described methods can generate detailed three-dimensional models of teeth, which can be used to design and optimize dental clasps.
Conclusions: The reconstruction method using laser scanning can generate detailed and valid three-dimensional models of teeth, which can readily be used for clasp design applications. Three-dimensional finite element analysis allows the investigation of the preferable design for the cast circumferential clasp arms.
