Fatigue and Fracture of Bovine Dentin

In this paper, the fatigue and fracture properties of bovine dentin are evaluated using in vitro experimental analyses. Double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens were prepared from bovine maxillary molars and subjected to zeroto-tension cyclic loads. The fatigue crack growth rate was evaluated as a function of the dentin tubule orientation using the Paris law. Wedge-loaded DCB specimens were also prepared and subjected to monotonic opening loads. Moiré interferometry was used to acquire the in-plane displacement field during stable crack growth, and the instantaneous wedge load and crack length were acquired to evaluate the crack growth resistance and crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) with crack extension. The rate of fatigue crack growth was generally larger for crack propagation occurring perpendicular to the dentin tubules. The Moiré fringe fields documented during monotonic crack growth exhibited non-linear deformation occurring within a confined region adjacent to the crack tip. Both the wedge load and CTOD response provided evidence that a fracture process zone contributes to energy dissipation during crack extension and that dentin exhibits a rising R-curve behavior. Results from this preliminary investigation are being used as a guide for an evaluation of the fatigue and fracture properties of human dentin. KEY WORDS—Dentin, fatigue, fracture process zone, Moiré interferometry, teeth