Biomechanical analysis of rigid and non-rigid connection with implant abutment designs for tooth-implant supported prosthesis: A finite element analysis

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The design of the connectors and implant abutments could affect the stress distribution of the tooth-implant supported prosthesis (TISP) entire system after loading. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the stress distribution of the TISP in different connectors and different implant abutments after loading. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The TISP design used in this study was divided into six models. R1, R2 and R3 represented the tooth and the one-piece, two-piece and three-piece abutment implant system connected by a rigid connector, respectively, while NR1, NR2 and NR3 were the corresponding tooth-abutment implant systems connected by a non-rigid connector. A vertical occlusal load of 50 N was applied at a right angle on the 6 occlusal points of the occlusal surface. RESULTS: As a result, regarding the maximum average stress distribution, R1 and NR1 appeared on the implant fixture, and the other four models were on the implant abutment. On the other hand, regardless of the abutment implant system, the maximum von Mises stress generated by the rigid connector was greater than the corresponding non-rigid connector in the cortical bone around implant. In addition, the three-piece abutment implant system had lower von Mises stress than the one-piece and two-piece implant systems in the cortical bone. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that by adding a flexible non-rigid connector and three-piece abutment device design to TISP, the occlusal load of the implant was dispersed, and the stress could be gradually introduced into the relatively strong implant abutment.