Folia Medica · Published 2026-02-26 · DOI 10.3897/folmed.68.e157615
Finite element analysis (FEA) and photoelasticity are frequently utilized methods in biomechanical research to examine stress distribution within dental structures and materials. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the historical evolution, clinical applications, and comparative advantages of these methods and limitations of FEA with a particular emphasis on endodontic research. While photoelasticity offers intuitive, real-time visualization of stress patterns, it remains limited in analyzing complex three-dimensional (3D) structures. In contrast, FEA enables the simulation of complex 3D anatomical structures and multidirectional loading conditions through numerical computations, making it a powerful tool across various dental specialties. However, FEA presents significant limitations including unrealistic modeling assumptions, oversimplified anatomical geometries with insufficient representation of diversity and lack of material long-term material degradation models. The review proposes recommendations to enhance FEA’s clinical relevance including incorporating anisotropic tissue and material properties, patient-specific parameters, dynamic loading scenarios, and advanced techniques for crack propagation analysis.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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