A method for testing the amount of deformation and level of force required to produce permanent injury to the dentition

Sporting injuries are the cause of up to a third of dental injuries each year. There is a 95% chance of permanent disfigurement to the most visible upper front teeth due to an impact to the mouth. This project developed a methodology to investigate the biomechanics of the teeth and their supporting structures in post-mortem human specimens. Using this method controlled loads can be applied to the teeth and their deformation and movement in the maxilla measured. Development of this methodology producing a robust and repeatable method capable of measuring injury thresholds will help to design better dental protective devices.