Abstract

This study applied the finite element method (FEM) and the moiré strip projection method to evaluate the biomechanical behavior of healthy and endodontic-treated premolar teeth. The finite element method and the moiré strip projection method were applied to evaluate the influence of restored materials in association with cervical lesions and were considered as strain estimates for a tooth sample with 21 units, under loads of 25, 50, 75, and 100 N, frontal and oblique applied. The focused cases were: tooth H healthy; tooth A-MOD amalgam; tooth AL-MOD amalgam + lesion; tooth ALR-MOD amalgam + injury restored; tooth R-MOD resin; tooth RL-MOD resin + lesion; tooth RLR-MOD resin + injury restored. The results obtained by FEM simulation can be considered perfectly validated by the results presented by the experimental moiré projection analysis, demonstrating that the FEM numerical analysis can be used to evaluate the biomechanical behavior of healthy and endodontically treated teeth. Developing an alternative protocol to generate FEM three-dimensional models will lead to a ready and inexpensive tool since there is no need for costly equipment for tooth extraction prognosis.