Effect of filler content on bending properties of dental composites: numerical simulation with the use of the finite-element method.

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to investigate the influence of filler content on the bending properties of dental composites by use of the finite-element method (FEM). The proposed numerical model was constructed from isotropic shell elements representing silica filler, and isotropic beam elements representing the remaining matrix resin. The proposed model was applied to failure analysis under three-point bending conditions. The validity of applying the numerical model to the failure progression analysis of composites was checked through comparison with experimental results. The results show that, in both the analytical and experimental results, the bending properties, such as maximum bending stress and bending modulus, increase with filler content. Also, the proposed method of failure progression analysis could better simulate the failure process of composites under three-point bending conditions. In addition, close agreement between the analytical and experimental results was confirmed. The above results indicate that the proposed numerical model is effective for evaluating the bending properties of dental filler composites of any content range.