Biomechanics and functional distortion of the human mandible.

The reaction to the use of finite element analysis (FEA) in the study of the human body has been particularly enthusiastic. Of equal and challenging complexity is the investigation of load/stress distribution and morphological distortion of the human mandible under functional loads. Furthermore, the mandible also impacts directly on body function and esthetics, playing a vital role, such as mastication and speech. The application of FEA to the biomechanical investigation of the oral systems, such as human teeth and mandibular bone remodeling, began in the early 1970s. The clinical significance of jaw deformation is unknown. The primary concern is that deformation might result in an ill-fitting superstructure or the creation of harmful strains in the patient-implant complex. Although mandibular implant treatment has a high success rate, the possibility of failure caused by these dimensional changes and the related micromotion cannot be ignored.