Thèse en cours

Mécanique multi-échelle de la dentine atteinte de Dentinogenèse Imparfaite

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Auteur / Autrice : Shangaya Touraivane
Direction : Elsa Vennat
Type : Projet de thèse
Discipline(s) : Mécanique des matériaux
Date : Inscription en doctorat le 01/09/2023
Etablissement(s) : université Paris-Saclay
Ecole(s) doctorale(s) : École doctorale Sciences Mécaniques et Energétiques, Matériaux et Géosciences
Partenaire(s) de recherche : Laboratoire : LMPS - Laboratoire de Mécanique Paris-Saclay
Equipe de recherche : MILA - Milieux architecturés
Référent : Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay

Résumé

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Isolating the mechanisms and pertinent length-scale associated with the plasticity, toughness of tooth is the key to understand and treat teeth weakened by disease. The pathology we propose to investigate is the Dentinogenesis Imperfecta (DI). DI is a rare genetic disease [1] characterized by hypomineralization and structural abnormality of dentin, leading to extremely rapid wear and early tooth loss. The dentin has a decreased mineral content with fewer hydroxyapatite crystals and abnormal tubules [2][3]. As the activity of odontoblasts is altered in case of DI, lesser, smaller (i) and abnormal (ii) tubules are observed. Collagen fibrils are also coalesced (iv) in most areas and presented a bimodal distribution of diameters (unlikely the unimodal distribution found in healthy dentin). The analysis of the microstructure of such 'abnormal' dentin (with atubular areas, “U-turn” tubules, numerous mineralization defects…[5]), almost not investigated in 3D to date, is currently carried out in our team using observation techniques at different scales from optical microscopy to TEM and ptychotomography. The aim of this thesis is to link this abnormal morphology at different scales to the poor mechanical properties of the affected tissue. To do so, new experiments at relevant scales will be designed. First local mechanical properties (elastic modulus and hardness) of healthy dentin (control group) and DI affected dentin will be assessed by nano-indentation. The observed abnormal morphological entities at this scale are : stripes arising from the dentino-enamel junction that seems to indicate a periodic pattern of rigidity, comet-like areas surrounding some tubules where sharp gradients of density are observed [6]. The local elastic modulus and its variation will be assessed and the way the tissue resists crack propagation using indentation splitting test with a sharp indenter [7]. Complementary in-situ SEM toughness test will be performed and the data obtained will be analyzed. Micro-cracking will be investigated. In particular, the influence of mineralization defects will be questioned. In the SEM, the microstructure and its changes will be imaged, in particular, the branches and crack surface (back-scattered SEM) in DI and control dentin. We will also select regions of interest and extract these regions using the FIB-SEM to perform nanoscale experiments. At the nanoscale, the fracture toughness resistance-curve at various states of mechanical deformation/damage of FIB-milled samples loaded in situ (in the TEM). This type of experiments is very innovative and have never been done on such biological tissues. The Ph.D. candidate will have to set up the test and perform it on healthy and DI samples. The way the crack propagates in the mineral/organic entanglement has never been seen at this scale despite the crucial role of collagen fibrils orientation on resistance to crack in biological hard tissues. This multiscale study aims at a better understanding of the structure-properties relationship in dentin affected by Dentinogenesis Imperfecta. To do so, state of the art in-situ mechanical testing at the different relevant scales will be designed. The results will allow a better understanding of Dentinogenesis Imperfecta and its mechanical consequences and, at long term, an improvement of the treatment of this pathology. [1] Molla, M. DENTINE, DENTINOGENESE ET ALTERATIONS DE STRUCTURE D'ORIGINE HEREDITAIRE. (2004). [2] MacDougall, M., Simmons, D., Gu, T. T. & Dong, J. MEPE/OF45, a New Dentin/Bone Matrix Protein and Candidate Gene for Dentin Diseases Mapping to Chromosome 4q21. Connective Tissue Res. 43, 320–330 (2002). [3] MacDougall, M. Dental Structural Diseases Mapping to Human Chromosome 4q21. Connective Tissue Research 44, 285–291 (2003). [4]S. Ibrahim, A.P. Strange, S. Aguayo, A. Shinawi, N. Harith, N. Mohamed-Ibrahim, S. Siddiqui, S. Parekh, L. Bozec, Phenotypic Properties of Collagen in Dentinogenesis Imperfecta Associated with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, IJN. 14 (2019) 9423–9435. [5] Hall, R. K., Manière, M.-C., Palamara, J. & Hemmerlé, J. Odontoblast Dysfunction in Osteogenesis Imperfecta: An LM, SEM, and Ultrastructural Study. Connective Tissue Research, 43, 401–405 (2002). [6] Riou, M., Vennat, E., Reiss, T., Haghi, P., Vallet, M., Fournier, B, and de La Dure-Molla M., How does dentinogenesis imperfecta affect dentin's structure and mechanics? CMBBE 2023. [6] Golovin Y. I., Nanoindentation and Mechanical Properties of Materials at Submicro- and Nanoscale Levels: Recent Results and Achievements, Phys. Solid State. 63, 1–41 (2021).