Effect of Number and Location on Stress Distribution of Mini Dental Implant-Assisted Mandibular Kennedy Class I Removable Partial Denture: Three-Dimensional Finite Element Analysis

PURPOSE: To investigate effects of number and location on patterns of von Mises stress distribution and volume average stress on abutment tooth, edentulous ridge, mini dental implant, and surrounding bone of mini dental implant-assisted mandibular Kennedy class I removable partial denture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight three-dimensional finite element models of mandibular Kennedy class I with different numbers and locations of mini dental implants were constructed. Mini dental implants were generated in the area of second premolar, first molar, and second molar, respectively. A static load of 400 N was applied on all models. The von Mises stress and volumetric average stress were calculated by three-dimensional finite element analysis. RESULT: The minimum volumetric average stress of abutment tooth was found in the model, where there was one mini dental implant at the second molar position and 2 mini dental implants at first molar and second molar positions. The model with three mini dental implants had reduced volumetric average stress of abutment tooth, which was not different from the model with two mini dental implants. However, the minimum volumetric average stress of mini dental implant and surrounding bone were found when three mini dental implants were applied, followed by two and one mini dental implants, respectively. CONCLUSION: Placing at least one mini dental implant at a second molar position can help reduce stress transferred to the abutment tooth. Stresses around each implant and surrounding bone reduced with increased numbers of mini dental implants.