Tooth Mobility Reproduction in Dental Material Research: A Scoping Review

Introducing tooth mobility simulation in laboratory studies can provide results with high accuracy and predictability.

This study aims to review in vitro methodologies replicating tooth mobility and provide a recommended approach for future laboratory models.

Databases, such as PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, BioMed Central and Chinese databases are searched, and twelve articles are included in the final review.

Simulation methods of tooth mobility involving socket enlargement, screw loosening, alveolar bone loss simulation and a combination approach are identified from the extracted data. The materials used in preparing artificial teeth, artificial sockets and periodontal ligament simulator are discussed with a focus on their limitations. The achieved degrees of mobility and the presence of the centre of rotation are also evaluated. A timeline of the review articles is constructed to understand the trend of the preferred methods in tooth mobility simulation.

Future in vitro investigations can achieve clinical reliability, particularly for materials tested in the field of dental traumatology and periodontology, by recognising the importance of incorporating tooth mobility in laboratory studies. Improvised methods are proposed to ensure that potential laboratory models can resemble the actual oral environment.