Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the stress distribution in the maxilla on differences in the inclination degree of the maxillary anterior. We prepared a 3-dimensional finite element model (the normal model) with a total of 140,029 nodes and 762,375 elements, which included the suture palatine median, teeth, and periodontal ligament, according to cranial CT images taken from an adult dried skull. We made another model by inclining the maxillary anterior tooth of the normal model. And, we experimented by using these two models. We obtained the following results. When we compared the stress distribution of the normal model with that of the model with inclined upper incisor, the concentration of stress of 0.35 MPa or more was observed more widely in the normal model than in the inclined model. The results suggested that the tooth axis of the upper incisor influences the shape of the palate during orthodontic treatment.
