Association between mechanical stress and bone remodeling.

Stress patterns and levels were analyzed by use of the three-dimensional finite element method. Three-dimensional models were constructed for the human upper central incisor (1205 nodes and 920 elements) and the sheep metacarpus (240 nodes and 128 elements). Orthodontic and orthopedic forces were applied to the tooth and the bone, simulating orthodontic tooth movement and experimental loading test for the bone. Three principal stresses were determined in the alveolar bone and the sheep long bone. The following results were obtained. 1. Stress distributions in the lateral alveolar bone were similar to those with bone deformation from cantilever bending mode. On the medial surface of the alveolar bone, a bending stress was observed, however, remaining stresses exhibited changes corresponding to those in the PDL produced by tipping displacement of the tooth. 2. In the sheep long bone, tensile and compressive stresses were induced on the dorsal and volar sides, respectively. The magnitude of stresses was greatest at the mid-diaphyseal region. Compressive and tensile stresses were related with bone resorption and apposition. The magnitude of principal stresses was almost proportional to dimensional changes of the bone at the mid-diaphyseal region. Bone remodeling in the long bone is related with mechanical stress, principal stress in particular, indicating that remodeling of the alveolar bone may be induced by application of orthodontic force in addition to conventional change of the bone adjacent to the PDL. Thus, it is shown that mechanical stress in living structures may be a trigger to induce biological remodeling of bones.