Properties of the elastic modulus from buccal compact bone of human mandible.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the elastic modulus of the mandible, which is an important factor in analysis of its physical dynamics. To meet this need, three point bending tests of small bone specimens were performed. The authors concluded that the elastic modulus of the mandible varied with site and orientation. When the specimens were obtained from regions paralleling the mandibular plane, the values in the lower portions were generally higher than those in the upper portions, indicating that these regions are more rigid. The elastic modulus in the marginal portions of the mandible, such as the mandibular plane, had comparatively high values. Relatively lower values were found as the angle to the margin of the mandible increased. In the incisal and premolar regions, anisotropic characteristics approximated those of unidirectional fiber reinforced composite materials. In the molar regions, there was a broad distribution of values, reflecting the complexity of mandibular structure.