Failure analysis of dental restorative composites in class II (MOD) cavity using FEM

Fracture of restored posterior premolars is a common clinical challenge, which is generally caused by large mastication forces onto the occlusal surface of the tooth. Although, different restorative materials with enhanced mechanical properties have been introduced into the market with an aim of improving their fracture resistance, still an ideal restoration remains a distant dream. The current investigation focuses on the numerical analysis of commercially available composite resins with elastic modulus ranging from 8.5 GPa to 19 GPa (low to high) using Finite Element Method. Four contact bodies (enamel, dentin, cement and restorative material) are modelled and are subjected to a static load on the occlusal surface of the restored tooth. Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion is used to identify the location of failure and to determine the maximum load carrying capacity of the restored tooth.