Biomedical subjects

N Thongpreda

Publications and source records attributed to N Thongpreda.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Modeling the biomechanics of the mandible: a three-dimensional finite element study.

Three-dimensional finite element models of a partially edentulated human mandible were generated to calculate the mechanical response to simulated isometric biting and mastication loads. The level of mesh refinement was established via a convergence test and showed that a model with over 30,000 degrees of freedom was required to obtain analysis accuracy. The functional loading cases included muscle loading based on an algorithm that assigns muscle forces in accordance with muscle cross-sectional area, while maintaining static equilibrium. Results were found for isometric application of unilateral and bilateral bite and mastication loading, and two different sets of displacement boundary conditions were imposed at the condyles. The mechanical response is shown in terms of displacements, principal strains, and a new measure called the 'mechanical intensity scalar'. For each load case studied, there was substantial bending in the molar region of the corpus and high tensile strains in the anterior portion of the ramus.

Bicuspid↗

PubMed1988

The effect of post-sintering heat treatments on the fatigue properties of porous coated Ti-6Al-4V alloy.

Porous coated Ti-6Al-4V alloy implant systems provide a biocompatible interface between implant and bone, resulting in firm fixation and potential long-term retention via bony ingrowth. In order to achieve an acceptable porous coating structure, the sintering protocol for Ti-6Al-4V alloy systems often requires that the material be heat treated above the beta transus. This transforms the as-received equiaxed microstructure, recommended for surgical implants, to a lamellar alpha-beta distribution, which has been shown to have the worst fatigue properties of the most common structures attainable in Ti-6Al-4V alloy. However, post-sintering heat treatments may be used to improve these properties by producing microstructures more resistant to crack initiation and propagation. This study investigated the influence of microstructural variations on the fatigue properties of porous coated Ti-6Al-4V alloy material. Nonporous coated and porous coated Ti-6Al-4V alloy fatigue specimens were subjected to a standard sintering heat treatment to produce a lamellar microstructure. In addition, two post-sintering heat treatments were used to produce coarse and fine acicular microstructures. Rotating beam (reversed bending) fatigue testing was performed and the endurance limits determined for the noncoated and porous coated microstructures. The values determined were 668 MPa (noncoated as-received equiaxed), 394 MPa (noncoated lamellar), 488 MPa (non-coated coarse acicular), 494 MPa (noncoated fine acicular), 140 MPa (porous coated lamellar), 161 MPa (porous coated coarse acicular), and 162 MPa (porous coated fine acicular). The noncoated coarse and fine acicular specimens displayed an approximate 25% increase over the noncoated lamellar specimens. The porous coated coarse and fine acicular specimens showed an approximate 15% improvement over the porous coated lamellar specimens.

Alloys↗

PubMed1987

Optimum pore size for bone cement fixation.

The interface shear properties of porous coated Ti-6Al-4V alloy embedded in bone cement were examined as a function of pore size. Cylindric Ti-6Al-4V alloy push-out specimens were coated with two layers of spheric powders having particle size ranges of 297-420 microns, 420-500 microns, 595-707 microns, and 850-1400 microns. Sintering resulted in mean pore sizes of 165, 285, 345, and 550 microns, respectively, and porosities in the range of 40%-44%. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean pore sizes obtained from the four particle size ranges. There were no differences between the mean porosities. The porous-coated specimens were embedded in bone cement and mechanical push-out testing was performed. Non-coated specimens having a satin surface finish were also embedded in bone cement and tested. The noncoated metal specimens displayed an interface shear strength of 4.2 +/- 0.4 MPa, whereas the shear strengths for the porous-coated specimens were significantly higher and increased as pore size increased. The mean interface shear strengths determined were 17.0 +/- 2.1 MPa (165 microns pore size), 18.1 +/- 2.3 MPa (285 micron pore size), 23.6 +/- 1.7 MPa (345 microns pore size), and 25.4 +/- 3.4 MPa (550 microns pore size). Significant differences in shear strength for the porous-coated specimens were found between the two smaller particle sizes and the two larger particle sizes. As pore size increased from 285 microns to 345 microns, a statistically significant increase in shear strength from 18.1 MPa to 23.6 MPa was observed.

Alloys↗

PubMed1986

The effect of post-sintering heat treatments on the tensile properties of Ti-6A1-4V alloy.

Previous studies have shown that the application of a porous coating to a solid substrate offers several advantages over current methods of implant fixation. However, the heat treatments required to sinter porous metal coatings have also been shown to cause significant decreases in the mechanical properties of the substrate. With Ti-6A1-4V alloy, sintering above the material beta transus results in a transformation from the as-received, equiaxed microstructure, recommended for surgical implants, to a lamellar alpha-beta microstructure. This lamellar structure has been shown to have inferior mechanical properties. In the present study, microstructural analysis and mechanical testing were performed on Ti-6A1-4V alloy subjected to various post-sintering heat treatments in an attempt to improve the mechanical properties. The microstructures examined were a fine and a coarse acicular alpha in a retained beta matrix. Tensile tests were performed on specimens containing these structures and results were compared with the lamellar and equiaxed microstructures. The fine acicular alpha structure was shown to exhibit the best tensile properties for the post-sintering Ti-6A1-4V alloy microstructures examined, displaying a 9.8% elongation value, as compared to the as-received, equiaxed microstructure value of 13.5%. This represents a significant improvement over the 5.1% value obtained with the lamellar microstructure.

Alloys↗