SANTA ANA, CA--(Business Wire - October 25th, 2012) - MSC Software Corporation, the leader in multidiscipline simulation solutions that accelerate product innovation, today announced that the University of Tennessee and the Federal University of Ubrlandia, based in Brazil, are conducting an ongoing study on the quality of oral health care with the assistance of MSC Software's Marc and its nonlinear finite element analysis capabilities. The goals of the study are to improve the understanding of complex biomechanical processes in order to design better procedures that will help maintain oral health for more members of the general population.

If untreated for long periods of time, oral diseases require complex and expensive treatments. The increase in complexity and cost usually make the treatments out of reach for a large proportion of the population. Because of the complexity of oral tissues and their interactions, theoretical models are limited as they are dependent on input from incomplete knowledge. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has become a powerful tool for the dental industry because even with a limited understanding of complex processes, it has allowed for a more comprehensive prediction and analysis of medical processes and treatments. The nonlinear finite element analysis capabilities in Marc, including the unique contact analysis and subroutine capabilities, is helping researchers and clinicians to formulate the right research questions and design appropriate experiments that provide an almost instant insight into complex biomechanical relationships (cause and effect) that cannot be easily obtained or communicated with any other method.

In a process where many variables need to be considered, finite element simulation provides unique advantages that allows for manipulation of single parameters, making it possible to isolate and study the influence of each parameter with more precision. The expanded insight and understanding of mechanical responses have undeniably been of direct significance for justifying experimental questions and improving clinical treatments. Simultaneously, the highly graphic pre- and post- processing features in FEA are improving the communication and collaboration between researchers and clinicians, which has had a significant impact on current innovations in dentistry.

"Biomechanics is a substantial element of dentistry because the primary function of the dentition is mechanical (biting and chewing)," said Dr. Antheunis Versluis of the University of Tennessee. "Yet, there are relatively few dedicated or qualified for biomechanics in dental research, and the area is poorly supported. I am very thankful for the support I have received from MSC's Marc software and from Casey Radigan, University Program Manager. The support has allowed me to continue using Marc in my research and teaching. In my opinion, finite element techniques are key to future advances in dental biomechanics research and in the coming years I hope to help more faculty and students in the use and interpretation of finite element analysis in their research."

About the University of Tennessee
Founded in 1794, the University of Tennessee is ranked in the top 50 public universities in the United States. Home to over 28,000 students and 10,000 faculty and staff, the University of Tennessee has a management partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory which allows students access to the nation's best research equipment including Kraken, one of the world's fastest supercomputers.
For more information, visit http://www.utk.edu

About the Federal University of Uberlândia
Located just southwest of Minas Gerais, Brazil and established in 1969, the Federal University of Uberlândia is a public university that offers 33 different undergraduate degrees. It is known for its medicine, law and economics, engineering, and a variety of science and art degrees. It currently has about 16,000 students and 4,600 faculty and staff. For more information, visit http://www.ufu.br

About MSC Software
MSC Software is one of the ten original software companies and the worldwide leader in multidiscipline simulation. As a trusted partner, MSC Software helps companies improve quality, save time, and reduce costs associated with design and test of manufactured products. Academic institutions, researchers, and students employ MSC's technology to expand individual knowledge as well as expand the horizon of simulation. MSC Software employs 1,100 professionals in 20 countries. For additional information about MSC Software's products and services, please visit: www.mscsoftware.com

The MSC Software corporate logo, Simulating Reality, MSC Nastran, Adams, Actran, Digimat, Dytran, Easy5, Marc, Patran, MSC, MasterKey, MasterKey Plus, Mvision, SimDesigner, SimManager, and SimXpert are trademarks or registered trademarks of MSC Software Corporation and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. NASTRAN is a registered trademark of NASA. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Article Contacts
Leslie Bodnar
Email: leslie.bodnar@mscsoftware.com
Phone #: (714) 444-8978