Compressive Viscoelastic Properties of Human Dentin: I. Stress-Relaxation Behavior

¹ University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73190, USA, and Schools of Dental Medicine (Restorative Department), Metallurgy and Materials Science, and Medicine (Orthopaedics), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19174

Stress-relaxation measurements were performed on specimens of radicular human dentin. The relaxattion modulus showed a linear dependence on the logarithm of time and the approximation to the logarithmic distribution function of relaxation times was used to predict the behavior of other viscoelastic properties. This experimental technique provides significant criteria for the design of polymeric restorative and prosthetic materials.