Bone strain and interfacial sliding analyses of platform switching and implant diameter on an immediately loaded implant: experimental and three-dimensional finite element analyses.
BACKGROUND
Strain gauge analysis and finite element (FE) simulations were used to estimate the bone strain and micromovement at the bone-implant interface (BII) for platform switching and different diameters of a single, immediately loaded mandibular implant.


METHODS
Four models were created, including 5-mm-diameter implants assembled with abutments that were 5 or 4 mm in diameter on bonded (delay-loading treatment) and contact (immediate-loading treatment) BIIs; a model with an implant diameter of 3.75 mm was also analyzed. Vertical and lateral loads of 130 N were applied to all models.


RESULTS
During lateral loading, the strains were highly concentrated on one side of the mandible in the experimental and validation FE models. Bone strains were reduced by <10% when platform switching was used compared to no platform switching. However, increasing implant diameter decreased the surrounding bone strain significantly. The sliding and gap distances at the BII did not differ significantly among all models considered.


CONCLUSIONS
Bone strain was reduced more by increasing the diameter of the implant than by using platform switching in the immediately loaded implant. However, neither a wide implant nor platform switching reduced micromotion at the BII for enhancing implant stability.
Hsu
Jui-Ting
JT
School of Dentistry, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Fuh
Lih-Jyh
LJ
Lin
Dan-Jae
DJ
Shen
Yen-Wen
YW
Huang
Heng-Li
HL
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008334:Mandible; D008422:Materials Testing; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D016474:Weight-Bearing
D015921:Dental Implants