Finite element analysis of thermal stresses in circumferential cast clasps of removable partial dentures

Several studies evaluated the removable partial dentures by the finiteelement analysis, but none of them evaluated thermal stresses. The purposeof the study was to explore the influence of thermal oral changes induced byhot/cold liquids and food on the circumferential cast clasps of removablepartial dentures. A 3-dimensional finite element method was used to explorethe temperature distribution, thermal stress and the influence of thermalchanges on stresses and displacements of circumferential clasps duringfunctions. Thermal variations induce stresses in dental clasps, hightemperatures having a more aggressive effect than lower one. The studysuggests the importance of considering thermal variations for stressanalyses of the cast clasps. Keywords: thermal changes, finite element method, stress, displacement, clasps