Abstract
Maxillo-facial and oral structures are complex organs which endure enormous stresses. Developing a better understanding of and thereby learning to control excessive forces in maxillofacial and oral structures through research using experimental mechanics techniques is considered to be an important task in dental clinical pathology today. Furthermore, the 21st century will see a progressive aging of society and with it the increased use of partial prostheses in the elderly with alveolar defectS in their remaining teeth In this context, the significance of experimental mechanics in developing new guidelines for mandibular distal extension prosthesis design will be examined through a discussion of a quasi-three dimensional photoelastic stress analysis of intcnal stresses that occur in the abutment teeth with periodontal defects and their surrounding tissues, a situation in which the involvement of excessive forces have been clinically suggested, with consideration for the effect of the axis of rotation in prostheses utilized in such situations.
