A COMPARATIVE-EVALUATION OF MANDIBULAR FINITE-ELEMENT MODELS WITH DIFFERENT LENGTHS AND ELEMENTS FOR IMPLANT BIOMECHANICS

Further validity of finite element analysis (FEA) in implant biomechan ics requires an increase of modelled range and mesh refinement, and a consequent increase in element number and calculation time. To develop a new method that allows a decrease of the modelled range and element number (along with less calculation time and less computer memory), 1 0 FEA models of the mandible with different mesio-distal lengths and e lements were constructed based on three-dimensional graphic data of th e bone structure around an osseointegrated implant. Analysis of stress distribution followed by 100 N loading with the fixation of the most external planes of the models indicated that a minimal bone length of 4.2 mm of the mesial and distal sides was acceptable for FEA represent ation. Moreover, unification of elements located far away from the imp lant surface did not affect stress distribution. These results suggest that it may be possible to develop a replica FEA implant model of the mandible with less range and fewer elements without altering stress d istribution.