Influence of Implant Connection on Mandibular Flexure in Jaw Movement: Three-dimensional Finite Element Analysis.

Abstract

In the previous report, the relative position between two implants was measured during jaw movements, and mandibular flexure was evaluated as the change. In the present study, three-dimensional finite element models were constructed so that six titanium implants were placed in the right half of the mandible, and three models were prepared: 1) Connected: all implants were connected, 2) Anterior only: anterior three implants only were connected, and 3) Not connected: no implant was connected. The influence of the connection on the implant and the surrounding bone determined by linear static stress analysis of 3-D finite element model was discussed. The results were as follows: 1. The inside loading value applied to the mandibular condyle was calculated from the implant deviation data of previous reports. The value was 20 N. 2. In three models the implant was deviated medial-backward and the deviation drastically increased from the Implant No. 4 region. 3. The stress of 8 MPa around the implant in the "Not connected" model was observed, and that of "Anterior only" and "Connected" models was lower. It was suggested that implant connection hardly affects the implant and the surrounding bone during mandibular flexure in jaw movements.