Improvement of the Numerical Model on the Orthodontic Correction of a Malocclusion Using NiTi Superelastic Alloy

Optimising the choice of superelastic NiTi orthodontic archwires mainly relies on the force exerted by the orthodontic archwire to correct dental malposition. Therapeutic efficiency and patient comfort largely depend on their applied corrective force. The principal goal of this project is to use numerical simulations to determine the force required to correct these misalignments. A specific configuration of dental malposition is considered. It is an intrusion of a premolar tooth requiring extrusion for correction. The thermomechanical model used for the numerical simulations is based on the Auricchio’s approach implemented in Abaqus Finite Elements software. Uniaxial tensile tests were carried out to verify the superelastic behaviour of orthodontic archwires at different temperatures. Optimisation of the correction force is carried out using numerical simulations in the real correction phase, and the results are compared with other numerical simulations and existing experimental results.