STRESS IN BONE ADJACENT TO DENTAL IMPLANTS

Finite element analysis (FEA) was employed to assess patterns of stres s in bone adjacent to an implant after application of loads through an attached distal extension cantilever. Under all loading conditions, t he highest stresses occurred at the distal cervical bone margin adjace nt to the cantilever. In clinical studies, this is not consistently th e site of the greatest bone changes seen radiographically. This sugges ts that extrapolation of FEA studies to clinical implantology should b e approached with caution until further data become available on both mechanical properties of bone and patterns of bone remodelling induced by defined functional stresses in mandible and maxillae.