Effect of using different metal and ceramic materials as restorations on stress distribution around dental implants: a comparative finite element study

The full ceramic dental prosthesis has recently been used as a common treatment alternative to metal ceramic ones mostly due to the esthetic aspects. However, it is unclear whether dental prosthesis with ceramic materials can be safely applied in restorations. To clarify the issue, six three-dimensional finite element models of four-unit implant supported prosthesis with different materials including InCeram Zirconia (ICZ) and In-Ceram Alumina (ICA) were designed using ABAQUS code version 6.5. Then, the typical load of 100Nwas applied to each model at different angles and the trends of maximum stress were explored at different components. The results show that using different full ceramic restorations are safe against usual occlusal loads. However, ICZ and ICA induce higher value of Von Mises stress which can be recommended in the anterior regions with low functional loads. Accordingly, the improved full ceramic dental prostheses can be used as an alternative clinical treatment to the metal ceramic.