Stress Analysis During Occlusal Loading in a Human Skull with Maxillary Defect: A Finite Element Study

Abstract

Human skull is designed to absorb the stress from the chewing forces and trauma to the head region. Teeth transfers the chewing forces to the maxilla and mandible and then to the skull bones. In this study, a skull with a maxillary defect due to surgical treatment of mucormycosis is evaluated for stress distribution from occlusal loading. Finite element model is constructed from a CBCT of an adult male patient with maxillectomy defect. Bilateral occlusal loading was done in the remaining posterior teeth in the asymmetrically present maxillary arch. Stress distribution is visualised and quantified both in frontal and lateral skull views. Results showed more stress on the left side than the right side and varied stress trajectories. Thus, we conclude that reconstruction of the maxillary defect is vital to gain proper morphology and symmetric stress distribution to maintain a functionally healthier craniofacial skeleton.