title: A method for obtaining a three-dimensional geometric model of dental implants for analysis via the finite element method.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to present a methodology of development of a virtual 3-dimensional dental implant model for analyses via the finite element method.
  
  
  METHODS
  A set, consisting of a dental implant and abutment, was embedded in acrylic resin for subsequent metallographic grinding and polishing. After the evidentiation of the internal geometry of the implant, the specimen was treated in a sputter for observation using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM image was transported to computer-aided design software by which all details of the implant were measured. With the measures obtained, the geometry was reproduced with 3-dimensional modeling software. Finally, the model was imported into finite element method analysis software with which it was discretized, generating a mesh.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A model with the accurate geometry of the implant was developed. A mesh of 297,600 elements and 490,045 nodes was generated. An aleatory acceleration simulation was performed to test the mesh, and no errors were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The developed methodology generated a precise dental implant model, which can be applied in different finite element method simulations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil. guilhermeccs@ufmg.br
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carvalho Silva
authors.forename: Tulimar Machado
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pereira Cornacchia
authors.forename: Estevam
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barbosa de Las Casas
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silami de Magalhães
authors.forename: Allyson Nogueira
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Moreira
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis / Q000379:methods; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D003765:Models, Dental; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants