Biomechanical evaluation of implant system fixed dentures support in atrophic maxilla

Abstract

Patients with atrophic maxilla are a challenge, since this condition can compromise the installation of implants. Hybrid implants system made by CAD/CAM, installed in the zygomatic and canine pillars bilaterally. The AL system consists of mini plates connected in a prosthetic abutment that is screwed into an implant-supported complete denture. There was performed a biomechanical evaluation of the AL system under mastication load simulation. A model of a patient's bone was built using In Vesalius software, exported, and treated in a CAD system. The AL implants and the prosthesis fixation bar were modeled based on the Bio model’s geometry. A structural static simulation of the bar was carried out and the supportive reactions were applied on the implants. The simulation was performed for a critical chewing load of 756 N. In this case, the maximum von Mises tension in the fixation bar and the minimum safety factor were respectively 366 MPa and 1.91. In a simulation of a 5 times lower load total edentulous chewing load, the safety factor was 9.55 and 17.10 for the fixation bar and the implants. The fixation bar and implants have the capacity to withstand the stresses to which they will be subjected during chewing.