The strain (i.e. deformation) history influences the degree of mineralization of cortical bone ( @entity18795 ) as well as its osteonal microstructure. This study aimed to examine the relationships of stress and strain distributions with the variations in @entity18795 and the osteonal orientations in the cortical bone of the @entity1 mandibular condyle. It was hypothesized that strains are inversely proportional to local @entity18795 and that the principal strains are oriented parallel to the osteons. To test this, ten @entity1 mandibular condyles were scanned in a microCT system. Finite element models were created in order to simulate static clenching. Within each condyle, 18 volumes of interest were selected to analyze regional differences in @entity18795 , stress and strains. Subchondral bone showed a lower equivalent strain (2652+/-612 muepsilon) as compared to the anterior (p=0.030) and posterior cortex (p=0.007) and was less mineralized. Contrary to our hypothesis, the results show that strains correlated positively with regional variations in @entity18795 (r=0.750, p<0.001). In the anterior and the posterior cortex, the first principal strain was parallel to the cortical surface and oriented supero-inferiorly with a fan-like shape. In subchondral bone, the first and the second principal strain were parallel to the surface and oriented antero-posteriorly and medio-laterally, respectively. It was concluded that the strain distributions, by themselves, cannot explain the regional differences found in @entity18795 . In agreement with our second hypothesis, the orientation of the osteonal network of the mandibular condyle was closely related to the strain orientations. The results of this study suggest that the subchondral and the cortical bone are structured to ensure an optimal load distribution within the mandibular condyle and have a different mechanical behaviour. Subchondral bone plays a major role in the transmission of the strains to the anterior and posterior cortex, while these ensure an optimal transmission of the strains within the condylar neck and, eventually, to the mandibular ramus.

Regional variations in mineralization and strain distributions in the cortex of the XXXX mandibular condyle.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['human'] @entity18795 :: ('CHEBI:65480', 'Chemical') :: ['DMB']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['human']
