Medição de força de mordida baseada em extensometria no elemento dentário

Abstract

Bite force constitutes a relevant parameter for the diagnosis and treatment of oral pathologies. Several studies have search for to develop methods to assess bite force, considering its ability to detect issues related to masticatory efficiency, TMD, and bruxism. However, many devices for this type of measurement significantly interfere with oral anatomy, potentially causing discomfort to the patient and unreliable measurements. Thus, aiming to enable bite force measurement without interference in the natural oral anatomy, this dissertation presents the development, analysis, and investigation of a force measurement system based on strain gauges applied to a dental element, constructed using a 3D-printed photopolymer resin model. To conduct this study, two cylindrical load cells (one solid and one hollow), three 3D-printed models of teeth, and electrical resistance strain gauges were used; the gauges were bonded to the load cells and models using Loctite 496 adhesive. The results evidenced that the models exhibited linear behavior, and, in particular, the models with a 3 mm cavity preparation showed higher sensitivity compared to the solid (intact) models. It was also observed that better occlusal stability results in a lower standard deviation in measurements. Due to its high gain, the measurement system is significantly influenced by temperature, although this effect can be compensated. In this context, this dissertation proposes a new approach for bite force measurement with potential for diverse biomedical applications.