The Effect of Different Abutment Designs and Materials on Stress Distribution in Implants and Peripheral Bones: A Three-Dimensional Finite Element Analysis.

Aims: To evaluate and compare the distribution of stress patterns around a single implant-supported crown with various abutment designs using different abutment materials.

Setting And Design: This is an in vitro study to evaluate and compare stress distribution patterns.

Methods: The three-dimensional (3D) finite element models included four stock and four customized abutments made of Titanium, Zirconia, Fibre-Reinforced Composite, and Poly Ether-Ether Ketone (PEEK) attached to an end-osseous root form implant. The models were subjected to a 300 N vertical load at the central fossa and a 150 N oblique load at the centre of the lingual inclines of the buccal cusps of the mandibular molar crown designed on the model.

Statistical Analysis Used:  The stress distribution within the implant and the surrounding supporting structures was evaluated using finite element analysis.

Results: In all the models, stresses on the implants were observed to be concentrated in the neck of the implants in the first few threads. Irrespective of the abutment design, PEEK abutment transferred greater stresses to implants and Zirconia abutment transferred lesser stresses to implants. In the implants, the customized abutment showed lesser stress values than the stock abutment during oblique loading.

Conclusions: Stresses on implants and cortical bone can be reduced by using Zirconia as an abutment material compared to Titanium, Fibre-Reinforced Composite, and Poly Ether-Ether Ketone material. Customized abutments improve the load transfer between the prosthesis and the implant and the surrounding bone, lessen the micro-movement of the abutments, and distribute the stress more evenly across the implant's component parts.