Effects of prosthesis materials and prosthesis splinting on peri-implant bone stress around implants in poor-quality bone: a numeric analysis

Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants. 2002 Mar-Apr;17(2):231-7.

Abstract

Purpose: A 3-dimensional finite element model consisting of a bone block and 2 simulated premolar crowns supported by 2 adjacent cylindric implants without immediately surrounding cortical bone was generated and used to investigate the effects of prosthesis materials and prosthesis splinting on the peri-implant bone stress under static loads.

Materials and methods: The peri-implant maximum equivalent bone stress (von Mises [VM] stress) was evaluated when a vertical or a horizontal load of 1 N was applied to the center of a single resin, gold alloy, or porcelain crown, nonsplinted or splinted to the adjacent crown.

Results: The numeric results indicated that: (1) in a single crown, no significant difference could be found in the maximum VM stress between different materials for both vertical and horizontal loading; (2) splinting the crowns reduced the maximum VM stress induced by the horizontal load, and the maximum VM stress increased about 14% for the horizontal loading when the restorative material was changed from gold alloy or porcelain to resin.

Discussion: Under the condition of this study's analysis, prosthesis materials of a single crown have insignificant effects on the peri-implant bone stress. Splinting the crowns reduced the peri-implant bone stress under horizontal load, and gold alloy and porcelain each demonstrated less peri-implant bone stress than resin in the splinted crown situation under static horizontal load.

Conclusion: Splinting the crowns of adjacent implants with relatively stiff restorative materials is recommended for implants surrounded by poor-quality bone.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alveolar Bone Loss / physiopathology*
  • Alveolar Process / physiology
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Composite Resins
  • Computer Simulation
  • Crowns
  • Dental Porcelain
  • Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported*
  • Dental Stress Analysis*
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Gold Alloys
  • Humans
  • Mandible
  • Materials Testing
  • Periodontal Splints*
  • Weight-Bearing

Substances

  • Composite Resins
  • Gold Alloys
  • Dental Porcelain