Finite element analysis of ceramic dental implants incorporated into the human mandible

Three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) was used to evaluate the influence of the design of dental implants on distortion and stresses (the maximum and minimum principal, and Von Mises) acting in the dental implant and the surrounding osseous structures during clenching. The model geometry was derived from physical measurements taken of an average size human mandible. Implants of various lengths and root configurations were embedded into the first molar region of the right mandible. Four dental implant materials have been selected for this analysis: Titanium-aluminum-vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V), cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo), alumina, and zirconia. All of the materials used in this analysis were idealized as homogeneous, isotropic and linear elastic. The complete model 3D-model was completed using STRAND7 and consists of 700 solid elements and 3738 nodes. The results indicated that the stresses acting in the implants are determined by several factors such as implant length, root configurations, and the implant material.