Three-dimensional finite element analysis of extra short implants focusing on implant designs and materials

When using short implants, fracture of the implant body and bone resorption are a concern because stress concentrates on and around a short implant. The purpose of this research is to investigate the differences in stress distribution between tissue level (TL) and bone level (BL) implant body designs, and between commercially pure titanium (cpTi) and the newer titanium–zirconium (TiZr) alloy in using short implants.

Models of TL and BL implants were prepared for three-dimensional finite element analysis. The implants were produced in 10 mm, 8 mm, and 6 mm lengths, and the TL was also produced in a 4-mm length. A static load of 100 N inclined at 30° to the long axis was applied to the buccal side of the model. The largest maximum principal stress value in the cortical bone and the largest von Mises stress value in the implant body were evaluated.

Stress concentration was observed at the connection part of the implant, especially above the bone in TL and within the bone in BL. In the TL design, tensile stress occurred on the buccal side and compressive stress on the lingual side of the cortical bone. Conversely, in the BL design, tensile stress occurred on the lingual side of the cortical bone. CpTi and TiZr showed a similar stress distribution pattern. The maximum stress values were lower in the TL design than the BL design, and they were lower with TiZr than cpTi for both the cortical bone and implant body. The maximum value tended to increase as the length of the implant body decreased. In addition, the implant body design was more influential than its length, with the TL design showing a stress value similar to the longer BL design.

Using TiZr and a TL design may be more useful mechanically than cpTi and a BL design when the length of the implant body must be shorter because of insufficient vertical bone mass in the mandible.