Mechanical responses of the periodontal ligament in the transverse section of the rat mandibular incisor at various velocities of loading in vitro.

Stress-strain curves of the periodontal ligament (PDL) were obtained at various velocities of extrusive loading of 1, 10, 10(2), 10(3) and 10(4) mm/24 h in vitro. Significant increases of the maximum shear stress, tangent modulus and failure strain energy density were found with increases in the velocity of loading. The maximum shear strain increased from a velocity of 1 to 10 mm/24 h but decreased from 10 to 10(4) mm/24 h. It was shown histologically that the free surface of the PDL adhering to the cementum after mechanical testing was rough and irregular at higher velocities and rather smooth at lower velocities. These results showed that the mechanical properties and mode of failure of the rat incisor PDL were greatly dependent on the strain rate. It is possible that the PDL of the continuously erupting rat incisor has mechanical characteristics favourable for resisting weakly to slow and small eruptive forces but strongly to the fast and large occlusal forces as suggested previously [Chiba and Komatsu, The Biological Mechanisms of Tooth Eruption and Root Resorption (1988)].