Junning Chen

University of Exeter | UoE · College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences

The prevalence of prosthodontic treatment has been well recognized, and the need is continuously increasing with the ageing population. While the oral mucosa plays a critical role in the treatment outcome, the associated biomechanics is not yet fully understood. Using the literature available, this paper provides a critical review on four aspects o...

Although implant-retained overdenture allows edentulous patients to take higher occlusal forces than the conventional complete dentures, the biomechanical influences have not been explored yet. Clinically, there is limited knowledge and means for predicting localized bone remodelling after denture treatment with and without implant support. By usin...

With ever-growing aging population and demand for denture treatments, pressure-induced mucosa lesion and residual ridge resorption remain main sources of clinical complications. Conventional denture design and fabrication are challenged for its labor and experience intensity, urgently necessitating an automatic procedure. This study aims to develop...

While orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) gains considerable popularity and clinical success, the roles played by relevant tissues involved, particularly periodontal ligament (PDL), remain an open question in biomechanics. This paper develops a soft-tissue induced external (surface) remodeling procedure in a form of power law formulation by correlatin...

Rapid and stable osseointegration signifies a major concern in design of implantable prostheses, which stimulates continuous development of new implant materials and structures. This study aims to develop a graded configuration of a bead/particle coated porous surface for implants by exploring how its micromechanical features determine osseointegra...

The bone-periodontal ligament-tooth (BPT) complex is a unique mechanosensing soft-/hard-tissue interface, which governs the most rapid bony homeostasis in the body responding to external loadings. While the correlation between such loading and alveolar bone remodelling has been widely recognised, it has remained challenging to investigate the trans...

The demand for revision knee replacement (RKR) has increased dramatically with rising patient life expectancy and younger recipients for primary TKR. However, significant challenges to RKR arise from osseous defects, reduced bone quality, potential bone volume loss from implant removal and the need to achieve implant stability. This study utilizes...

To investigate bone remodelling responses to mandibulectomy, a joint external and internal remodelling algorithm is developed here by incorporating patient-specific longitudinal data. The primary aim of this study is to simulate bone remodelling activity in the conjunction region with a fibula free flap (FFF) reconstruction by correlating with a 28...

Purpose 18F-NaF PET is valuable for detecting bone metabolism through osteoblastic activity in the assessment of bone disease. Hawkins, Patlak, and standardised uptake value (SUV) are the most common quantitative measurements used to evaluate bone metabolism. This systematic review evaluates the correlation between quantitative positron emission to...

The complex, hierarchical and heterogeneous biomechanics of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are central to the health of multicellular organisms. Characterising the distribution, dynamics and above all else origins of ECM biomechanics are challenges that have captivated researchers for decades. Recently, a suite of biophotonics techniques have emerg...

The periodontal ligament (PDL) is a highly heterogeneous fibrous connective tissue and plays a critical role in distributing occlusal forces and regulating tissue remodeling. Its mechanical properties are largely determined by the extracellular matrix, comprising a collagenous fiber network interacting with the capillary system as well as interstit...

In order to optimise the passage of the self-propelled capsule robot in the small intestine, capsule-intestine interactions were studied in this paper via finite element (FE) analysis and experimental investigation. Different contact conditions were considered to reflect the structural complexity and motility of the intestinal tract, including the...

A popular hypothesis explains the mechanosensitivity of bone due to osteocytes sensing the load-induced flow of interstitial fluid squeezed through the lacunocanalicular network (LCN). However, the way in which the intricate structure of the LCN influences fluid flow through the network is largely unexplored. We therefore aimed to quantify fluid fl...

Biological and mechanical functions are sometimes two conflicting characteristics in bone tissue scaffolds, which necessitates a trade-off between these two properties in load-bearing applications. In this article, a systematic computational analysis was performed to investigate the effects of controllable fabrication factors (e.g. Design for Addit...

The biomechanics associated with buccal bone thickness (BBT) augmentation remains poorly understood, as there is no consistent agreement in the adequate BBT to avoid over-loading resorption or over-augmenting surgical difficulty. This study utilizes longitudinal clinical image data to establish a self-validating time-dependent finite element (FE)-b...

Mechanical failure of zirconia-based full-arch implant-supported fixed dental prostheses (FAFDPs) remains a critical issue in prosthetic dentistry. The option of full-arch implant treatment and the biomechanical behaviour within a sophisticated screw-retained prosthetic structure have stimulated considerable interest in fundamental and clinical res...

Sharks and rays have distinctive skeletons among vertebrate animals, consisting primarily of unmineralized cartilage wrapped in a surface tessellation of minute polygonal tiles called tesserae, linked by unmineralized collagenous fibers. The discrete combination of hard and soft tissues is hypothesized to enhance the mechanical performance of tesse...

Our aim is to develop a self-propelled capsule robot by using the vibro-impact technique (Liu et al. Gut, 68:A31-A31, 2019) for delivering a step change in capsule endoscopy. This work concerns the study of the interactions between a moving capsule and the small intestine in order to provide design guidance for prototyping.

The natural structures inspires human beings to find a new composite material design for the crashworthiness. The mystery of outstanding crashworthiness of a coconut is revealed in its multilayered and multiscale structure, including the macroscopically organized pericarp and microscopically disordered mesocarp. The pericarp consists of parallel fi...

Orthodontic root resorption is a common side effect of orthodontic therapy. It has been shown that high hydrostatic pressure in the periodontal ligament (PDL) generated by orthodontic forces will trigger recruitment of odontoclasts, leaving resorption craters on root surfaces. The patterns of resorption craters are the traces of odontoclast activit...

The human masticatory system has received significant attention in the areas of biomechanics due to its sophisticated co-activation of a group of masticatory muscles which contribute to the fundamental oral functions. However, determination of each muscular force remains fairly challenging in vivo; the conventional data available may be inapplicabl...

The osteocyte lacunar-canalicular network (LCN) penetrates bone and houses the osteocytes and their processes. Despite its rather low volume fraction, the LCN represents an outstanding large surface that is possibly used by the osteocytes to interact with the surrounding mineralized bone matrix thereby contributing to mineral homeostasis. The aim o...

Whilst the newly established biomechanical conditions following mandibular reconstruction using fibula free flap can be a critical determinant for achieving favorable bone union, little has been known about their association in a time-dependent fashion. This study evaluated the bone healing/remodeling activity in reconstructed mandible and its infl...

Solid titanium and its alloys have been the most prevalent materials for dental and orthopaedic implants attributable to their advantageous mechanical and biocompatible properties. Nevertheless, there still is a range of biomechanics and biomaterials issues with titanium implants, such as delayed/insufficient osseointegration and limited shear-load...

This paper aimed to develop a clinically validated bone remodeling algorithm by integrating bone's dynamic properties in a multi-stage fashion based on a four-year clinical follow-up of implant treatment. The configurational effects of fixed partial dentures (FPDs) were explored using a multi-stage remodeling rule. Three-dimensional real-time occlu...

Medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) is a surgical procedure to treat knee osteoarthritis associated with varus deformity. However, the ideal final alignment of the Hip-Knee-Ankle (HKA) angle in the frontal plane, that maximizes procedural success and post-operative knee function, remains controversial. Therefore, the purpose of this...

Purpose: This study combines clinical investigation with finite element (FE) analysis to explore the effects of buccal bone thickness (BBT) on the morphological changes of buccal bone induced by the loaded implant. Methods: One specific patient who had undergone an implant treatment in the anterior maxilla and experienced the buccal bone resorpt...

Purpose: The objective of this clinical study was to determine the relationship of mandibular morphology with residual ridge resorption (RRR) of implant-retained overdenture (IRO) patients. Materials and methods: RRR was quantified as change in bone volume over 1- and 2-year periods using cone beam computed tomography and a medical imaging progr...

Purpose: The aims of this study were to develop a device for in vivo measurement of three-dimensional (3D) loads on implants and to investigate the effects of implant configuration on the load distribution under a three-unit fixed partial denture (FPD). Materials and methods: A 67-year-old female patient with three implants (in the mandibular le...

This study aimed to evaluate the biomechanical responses in the peri-implant bony structure installed with the fixed partial dentures (FPDs). Unlike traditional configuration, the FPD considered here comprises a superstructure and is supported by three implants. The computational model of mandibular bone and the implant prosthesis were constructed...

Implant-supported fixed partial denture with cantilever extension can transfer the excessive load to the bone around implants and stress/strain concentration potentially leading to bone resorption. This study investigated the effects of implant configurations supporting three-unit fixed partial denture (FPD) on the stress and strain distribution in...

Design of prosthetic implants to ensure rapid and stable osseointegration remains a significant challenge, and continuous efforts have been directed to new implant materials, structures and morphology. This paper aims to develop and characterise a porous titanium dental implant fabricated by metallic powder injection-moulding. The surface morpholog...

Layered all-ceramic systems have been increasingly adopted in major dental prostheses. However, ceramics are inherently brittle and they often subject to premature failure under high occlusion forces especially in the posterior region. This study aimed to develop mechanically sound novel topological designs for all-ceramic dental bridges by minimiz...

18F-fluoride positron emission tomogra-phy (PET) can identify subtle functional variation prior to the major structural change detectable by X-ray. This study aims to investigate the mechanobiological bone reaction around the abutment tooth and in the residual ridge, induced by insertion of removable partial denture (RPD) within two different group...

Despite their considerable importance to biomechanics, there are no existing methods available to directly measure apparent Poisson's ratio and friction coefficient of oral mucosa. This study aimed to develop an inverse procedure to determine these two biomechanical parameters by utilizing in vivo experiment of contact pressure between partial dent...

This study aimed to investigate and compare the residual ridge resorption (RRR) induced by an implant-retained overdenture (IRO) and associative biomechanics and by a conventional complete denture (CD) without implants. Cone beam computed tomography was used to quantify RRR in a three-dimensional (3D) manner before and after 1 year of treatment wit...

While nuclear medicine has been proven clinically effective for examination of the change in bone turnover as a result of stress injury, quantitative correlation between tracer uptake and mechanical stimulation in the human jawbone remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between bone metabolism observed by 18F-fluoride pos...

This paper explores the biomechanics and associated bone remodeling responses of two different abutment configurations, namely implant-implant-supported versus tooth-implant-supported fixed partial dentures. Two 3D finite element analysis models are created based upon computerized tomography data. The strain energy density induced by occlusal loadi...

The purpose of dental prostheses is to restore the oral function for partially or completely edentulous patients; however, introducing any dental prosthesis into mouth will alter the biomechanical status of the oral environment, consequently inducing bone remodelling. Despite the advantageous benefits brought by dental prostheses, the attendant cli...

Implant-retained overdenture has been widely applied as a solution to edentulous ageing; however, a major concern for the denture wearers is bone resorption induced by the prosthetic interaction with soft tissue and bone. Early studies have revealed that the bone resorption is associated with the disturbance to the mucosa blood flow. This study aim...

Intraoperative periprosthetic femoral fractures (IPPFF) occur in approximately 3-5% of all cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgeries. This study aimed to identify the critical impaction load to cause an IPPFF during implant implementation. This critical load may be used as a guideline for surgeons as well as a parameter for the design of fu...

This study aims to analyze the functional contact pressure induced by Removable Partial Denture (RPD) by using a 3D finite element (FE) model constructed based on patient specific CT scans. This model was validated against the in vivo test results. The outcomes demonstrate that the finite element simulation has the capability of quantifying localiz...

To investigate the importance of the meniscal non-linear behaviour on knee joint finite element analysis (FEA) study, the aim of this study was to compare linear elastic and nonlinear hyperelastic material models on the pressure distribution of meniscus. For this purpose, a 3D finite element (FE) knee model of a healthy living subject was construct...

Prosthetic implantation has been a prevalent surgical procedure in dentistry. Insertion of dental implant significantly changes local oral conditions and leads to the surrounding bone to remodel to a new morphology. To predict how the bone responds such a biomechanical change, finite element analysis (FEA) based remodeling simulation has proven eff...

Prosthetic implantation has been a prevalent surgical procedure in dentistry. Insertion of dental implant significantly changes local oral conditions and leads to the surrounding bone to remodel to a new morphology. To predict how the bone responds such a biomechanical change, finite element analysis (FEA) based remodeling simulation has proven eff...

Requirements for a rapid and stable osseointegration signify a major concern in design of implantable prostheses, which has been driving continuous development of new implant materials and structures. This paper aims to characterize a porous titanium structure fabricated by injection molding using two microscopy quantification methods to reduce lab...

Requirements for a rapid and stable osseointegration signify a major concern in design of implantable prostheses, which has been driving continuous development of new implant materials and structures. This paper aims to characterize a porous titanium structure fabricated by injection molding using two microscopy quantification methods to reduce lab...