Patterns of stress and strain in complete-arch prostheses supported by four or six implants: A literature review of finite element analyses

BACKGROUND: Tilted implants have been recommended as an alternative to the bone graft procedures in implant sites although with possibly higher stress concentrations. This study reviews finite element studies to evaluate patterns of stress and strain in complete-arch prostheses supported by 4‒6 implants. METHODS: A literature search was performed using the online databases. Articles published in English from 2003 to 2015 were reviewed. A total of 100 articles were found related to the subject and after evaluating the titles and abstracts, 18 studies were selected. RESULTS: By increasing the number of implants, a reduction was detected in the amount of stress in the bone and implants, while in others, the stress level did not change with the increase in the number of implants. CONCLUSION: According to finite element analyses, placing a distal implant in an angular position results in better distribution of forces and stresses. Using less cantilever lengths would reduce the stress.