Dynamic tensile properties of bovine periodontal ligament: A nonlinear viscoelastic model

As a support to the tooth, the mechanical response of the periodontal ligament (PDL) is complex. Like other connective tissues, the PDL exhibits non-linear and time-dependent behavior. The viscoelasticity of the PDL plays a significant role in low and high loading rates. Little information, however, is available on the short-term viscoelastic behavior of the PDL. Also, due to the highly non-linear stress–strain response, it was hypothesized that the dynamic viscoelastic properties of the PDL would be greatly dependent on the preload. Therefore, the present study was designed to explore the dynamic tensile properties of the bovine PDL as a function of loading frequency and preload. The in vitro dynamic tensile tests were performed over a wide range of frequencies (0.01–100 Hz) with dynamic force amplitude of 1 N and different preloads of 3, 5 and 10 N. The generalized Maxwell model was utilized to describe the non-linear viscoelastic behavior of the PDL. The low loss factor of the bovine PDL, measured between 0.04 and 0.08, indicates low energy dissipation due to the high content of collagen fibers. Moreover, the influence of viscous components in the linear region of the stress–strain curve (10 N preload) was lower than those of the toe region (3 N preload). The data reported in this study could be used in developing accurate computational models of the PDL.