Orthodontics Biomechanics

PRINCIPLES OF BIOMECHANICS

Dr. Nagi Hussein Al-Awdi

MSc. in clinical Orthodontics
 Introduction

➢ Orthodontic treatment is based on the principle that is prolonged

pressure is applied to a tooth.

➢ Tooth movement occur as the

bone around tooth remodels.

➢ It is done by clinical application

of biomechanical concepts.
 Introduction

➢ The physical concepts that form the foundation of orthodontic

mechanics are the key to understanding how orthodontic appliances work
and are critical for designing new appliances.

➢ BIOMECHANICS can be described

as the relationship between force

systems and dental or orthopedic

correction.
Introduction
 Introduction
• WHY TO STUDY BIOMECHANICS?
• Biomechanics should form the core of clinical practice in
orthodontics treatment (Burstone, AJO 2000)
• Knowledge of the biomechanical principles and governing
forces is necessary for the control of orthodontic treatment
• The proper application of biomechanics principles
increases treatment efficiency, so that we can control the
outcome of our case.
Success of orthodontic treatment
 Introduction

➢ Thus, a clear understanding of the theories of mechanics has potential

applications in these areas:

1. Precise application of force

Optimization of tooth movement

 Introduction

2. A better understanding of clinical and

histological response to various

magnitude of force.
 Introduction

3. Improving the design of orthodontic appliances.

 Introduction

4- Anchorage control – anchorage control is based on combining force

levels and selective moments. All arch wires produce multiple effects,
many of which are undesirable and lead to anchorage loss.
 Introduction
5- Selection of wires, brackets and clinical devices – there has been a
proliferation of new materials, wires, attachments and other clinical
devices. Understanding their biomechanics helps individualize their
selection for patients.
 Introduction

7- Minimization of tissue destruction – tissue destruction and patient

discomfort can be minimized by evaluating and controlling optimum
force levels.
8- Reduction in need of patient cooperation – the reduction of
undesirable side effects and the concomitant reduction in treatment time
can minimize the use of appliances (head gear, elastics) that require
patient compliance.
Mechanical Concepts In Orthodontics
 Laws of newton in dentistry

➢Isaac Newton’s (1642-1727) three laws of motion which

analyze the relationship between the effective forces on
objects and their movement, are all

applicable to clinical orthodontics.

 Laws of newton in dentistry

➢we use the three laws of Newton

to explain the effects of forces on an object.

➢Newton’s Laws describe the motion of an object when subject

to forces.

➢Newton’s Second and Third Laws are the most important in

orthodontics.
 Laws of newton in dentistry
1)Law of inertia :
➢ Everybody continues in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight
line unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed on it.
➢ Thus ,dental malposition can never resolve itself spontaneously unless
forces must be applied in order to obtain
movement.
 Laws of newton in dentistry
2)Law of acceleration :
➢ The acceleration of a body is in the same direction as the force that
produces it, and depends on the magnitude of the force and the mass
of the object.
➢ (Force = mass x acceleration)
➢ Teeth move in the direction of resultant applied force.
 Laws of newton in dentistry
3)Law of action and reaction :
➢ Newton’s third law states that with every action or force, there is an
equal reaction force (in the opposite direction).
➢ According to this law, whenever two objects interact, they exert action
and reaction forces on each other. With any interaction, there is a pair
of forces. The forces in this pair (action and reaction) are vectors in that
they have a size and a direction.
➢ The size of the force on the first object is equal to the size of the force
on the second object, and the direction of the force on the first object is
in a direction opposite to the direction of the force on the second
object.
 Laws of newton in dentistry
3)Law of action and reaction :
➢ Consider the interaction between the wheels of an automobile and the
road. As the wheels turn, they exert a force on the road. In turn, the
road exerts a force on the wheels that is equal in magnitude, and
opposite in direction to the force the road receives from the wheels.
➢ In a sense, the wheels push the road backwards, and the road pushes
the wheels forward (equal and opposite), allowing the automobile to
move forwards.
 Laws of newton in dentistry
3)Law of action and reaction :
➢ In the mouth, we can see examples of action – reaction systems in a
canine retraction setup. The spring pulls the canine back with a
magnitude of force. Since the
appliance uses the molars as
anchorage, there is an equal
magnitude and opposite
direction force pulling the
molars forward .
 Laws of newton in dentistry
3)Law of action and reaction :
➢ We need to minimize or eliminate secondary effects of treatment as
possible
➢ Orthodontic appliances have similar functions as pharmaceuticals
have in medicine.
➢ It is important to keep this concept in
mind working with any appliance system
and give adequate importance to take steps
to prevent the adverse effects.
CONCEPT OF A FORCE
 FORCE
Definition:
➢ A force is any action that results in the change in the motion of an
object.

➢ Forces are measured in ounces, grams, or Newtons (approximately

100gr per 1 Newton on planet Earth as the acceleration due to gravity is
considered constant and equal to 9.807/s2).

➢ In orthodontics, the unit of forces is usually the gram.

 SCALARS & VECTORS

➢ Physical properties (such as distance, weight, temperature and force)

are treated mathematically as either scalars or vectors.
➢ Scalars: when Physical properties (temperature and weight) have only
magnitude, its called a scalar quantity.
 SCALARS & VECTORS

➢ Physical properties (such as distance, weight, temperature and force)

are treated mathematically as either scalars or vectors.
➢ Vectors : when Physical properties (force) have magnitude and direction,
its called a vector quantity.
 Direction and magnitude of a force
➢ As a force is a vector,
➢ the direction of the force is represented by
an arrow pointing in the same direction as the movement of the
tooth.

➢ The magnitude is represented by the length of the arrow by

convention
 Point of application
➢ The point of application of the force is the location where the force is
applied to the object and is by convention the origin of the arrow.

➢ The location of the point of application of

force is related to the centre of mass as

this precise location will determine the

tendency of the object to translate or

rotate when submitted to this force.

 Force vectors
Force vectors are represented as arrows.
➢ The length of the arrow is proportional to the magnitude of the force.
➢ The point of application of the force is indicated by the origin of the
arrow. This is the point of contact between the body being moved and
the applied force. Sense/Direction
Magnitude

Origin/ Line of action

point of application
 Line of action with direction and magnitude
➢ The line of action is the geometric representation of the way the
force is applied(Wikipedia).
➢ The line of action is the axis of displacement when the force is
applied.
➢ The direction the force is marked

by the arrow .

➢ The magnitude is the length

of the arrow by convention.

 Direction and magnitude of a force
➢ Two forces of equal amplitude acting in the same direction and
placed on the same line of action will have the same effect on a rigid
body.

➢ In figure 6, F1 and F2 will have the same effect on the blue body below. It
does not matter if one force is pushing and the other one is pulling. The
net effect will be identical.
 Law of Transmissibility of Force
➢ The effect of a force on a body is the same when applied anywhere
along its line of action.
➢ For example,
➢ if the line of action is the long
axis of the tooth, it does not
matter whether the force is
applied at the incisal edge,
the bracket, or the cingulum,
as long as the force is in the
same direction and magnitude, the effect remains the same.
 Point of application of force
➢ The law of transmissibility tells us that forces of same magnitude
and direction have the same effect no matter where the point of
application is located

along the same line of force.

 Centre of Mass (CM) or Center of gravity (CG)
• Every object or free body has one point where all of the weight is
concentrated at this point. The object would be perfectly balanced, if
supported, on this point as if the rest of the object does not exist. This point is
known as the center of gravity (CG) or center of mass (CM).
• In other word Is a point at which the body is balanced in all directions
• The centre of mass represents the balance point of a system.
• At Centre of Gravity- objects subject to gravitational force
 Centre of Mass (CM) or Center of gravity (CG)
• Centre of Mass- All objects (finite)
behave as if the entire mass is
concentrated onto a single point.
• For homogeneous bodies with a
regular geometric shape the CM is
located at their geometric center(i.e.
the center of sphere).
 Centre of Mass (CM) or Center of gravity (CG)
• If a force goes through the Centre of Mass, the object will move in the
direction of the force without any rotation (pure translation).
• This would be the same as a box, or any other object for that matter, on the
moon (or in an environment where there are no forces acting on the tooth).
This is obviously not a realistic situation, but more of a theoretical concept!
 Centre of Mass (CM) or Center of gravity (CG)
• If the line of action of a free body is placed away from the centre of
resistance,
• a combination of
rotation and translation is
to be expected.
Centre of Mass (CM) or Center of gravity (CG)
 Centre of Mass (CM) or Center of gravity (CG)

➢ Tipping - When a force is applied on this pencil below its center of mass,
it tips and moves forward.
 Centre of Mass (CM) or Center of gravity (CG)

➢ Translation - If the force is passing through the center of mass, the

whole body moves in a straight line, in a parallel fashion.
➢ Here all the points of the body get displaced equally from the initial
position. This is called bodily movement or translation
 CENTRE OF RESISTANCE (CR)
• The centre of resistance is an important concept in orthodontics as the teeth
are not free bodies, the roots being secured to the alveolar bone by the
periodontal ligament.
• The centre of mass and the centre of resistance are not located in the same
position.
• CR is located more apically than the centre of mass.
• It is a mathematical point at which all resistance to displacement may be
thought to be concentrated.
• Calculations of force systems in relation to their ability to translate or rotate are
done in relation to the centre of resistance.
 Center Of Resistance

In a restrained body, such as a tooth, a point analogous to the center of

gravity is used; this is called the center of resistance.
➢ It is the point; a force has to pass through in order to move object
freely in a linear manner.
• The center of gravity of the tooth is located more towards the crown
of the tooth as the mass of the tooth is concentrated more coronally.
 CENTRE OF RESISTANCE (CR)

➢ As the root of tooth is partially embedded in the bone, its Center of

Gravity shifts apically and is then referred to as the Center of
Resistance.
➢ The center of resistance is at the approximate midpoint of the
embedded portion of the root.
 CENTRE OF RESISTANCE (CR)
Importance of the centre of resistance:
➢ When forces are applied on teeth,
it is imperative to assess their

three-dimensional effects and the

resulting movements that will occur

once the tooth is subjected to this

force system.
 Center Of Resistance
➢ The center of resistance of a tooth is dependent on:
1-Root length and morphology : since tooth movement resulting from a
force delivered at the bracket depends upon the distance of the line of
action of the force from the center of resistance, identical forces applied
to teeth with different root lengths can have different effects.
2-Alveolar bone height : the movement of

teeth in adults with alveolar bone loss will

be different than in adolescents.

3-Number of roots.
 CENTRE OF RESISTANCE (CR)
➢ When a patient presents with reduced periodontal support, the crest of the
alveolar bone is more apical.
➢ The centre of resistance of the tooth has moved dramatically more apically,
and the distance from the bracket to the centre of resistance increases almost
by two-fold (figure 12).
➢ If the same force is applied to the
bracket on these two teeth, a different
orthodontic movement will result. The
tooth on the right will tend to rotate more
according to the increased distance of the
line of force at the centre of resistance of
the tooth.
 CENTRE OF RESISTANCE (CR)
➢ The centre of mass is always placed more occlusally than the centre of
resistance due to the “resistance “of the periodontal ligament and
dentoalveolar bone.

➢ As this resistance is impossible to quantify for each

tooth and for each patient, the centre of resistance is

a theoretical concept but can be used as an average to

create optimized force systems.

 CENTRE OF RESISTANCE (CR)
➢ In cases where the periodontal support is constant(normal), the centre of
resistance of different teeth will be at different levels.

➢ The upper canines will have a

higher centre of resistance

while the premolars and lateral

incisors will be lower.

 CENTRE OF RESISTANCE (CR)

➢ The center of resistance of a single-rooted tooth is on the long axis of the

tooth, probably between one-third(1/3) to one-half(1/2) of the root
length apical to the alveolar crest.
➢ According to Burstone & Pryputniewicz
(Am J Orthod. 1980),the center of resistance of

a single-rooted tooth with a parabolic shape is

calculated by multiplying the distance from the alveolar

crest to the apex by 0.33.

 Position of Center Of Resistance

➢ For a multi-rooted tooth, the center of resistance is

probably between the roots, 1 or 2 mm.

apical to the furcation.

 Centre of resistance for a group of teeth
➢ When teeth are tied by brackets and wires, a new centre of resistance is
created, and the group of teeth is now considered as a single object.
➢ The center of resistance of the maxilla
is slightly inferior to Orbital
 Position of Center Of Resistance
➢ The center of resistance of the maxillary anterior teeth
distal to the lateral incisor roots for intrusive movements
of maxillary anterior teeth
 Position of Center Of Resistance
➢ The center of resistance of the mandibular teeth
 Centre of rotation
•It is an point around which body rotates.
•It can be very close but never coincide with center of resistance.
•It is a variable point and changes according to the type of tooth movement.
•It can be at any position on or off the tooth.
• Incase of controlled crown tipping, center of rotation
will be at root apex. While in case of perfect translation ,
it will be at infinity.
 Moment Of A Force
➢ Moment:
a measure of the tendency to rotate an object around some point .
➢ If the line of action of an applied force does not pass through the center
of resistance, a moment is necessarily created. Not only will the force
tend to translate the object, it also will tend to rotate the object around
the center of resistance.
➢ This is precisely the situation when a
force is applied to the crown of a tooth.
 Moment Of A Force
➢ Moment Of A Force :
A moment is defined as the tendency for a force to
produce rotation or tipping of a tooth.
• It is indicated by a curved arrow in diagrams.
• M= F x d
• Unit = grams-millimeters
 Moment Of A Force

• Greater the distance between center of resistance to the line of force,

greater the moment that will be produced.
 Direction of Moment
• It can be positive(clockwise) or
• negative(anti-clockwise)
• The direction of the moment of a force can be determined by
continuing the line of action around the center of resistance toward the
point of origin
 Couple force
➢ Couple :
Two forces equal in magnitude and opposite in direction with parallel
but non-collinear line of action.
➢ Resultant of couple is a pure moment, since translatory effect of forces
get cancel out.
➢ Thus a couple will produce pure rotation, spinning of object around
center of resistance and combination of force and couple chance the way
an object rotates while it is being moved.
 Moment of couple
• A moment of couple may be referred differently in orthodontics,
• As first order “Rotation”,
• Second order “Tipping” or
• Third order “Torquing”
 Moment of couple
• A moment of couple may be referred differently in orthodontics,
• As first order “Rotation”,
• Second order “Tipping” or
• Third order “Torquing”
 Moment of couple
• A moment of couple may be referred differently in orthodontics,
• As first order “Rotation”,
• Second order “Tipping” or
• Third order “Torquing”
Thank you