Context: Implant-supported overdentures are well-known and widely accepted treatment modality to increase retention which is a crucial factor for determining patient satisfaction. The placement of two implants in the anterior region can be selected as a first-line treatment in patients with the atrophic mandibular ridge.
Aims: The purpose of this research was to assess the biomechanical effects of carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone (CFR-PEEK) implant-supported overdenture in the event of 2,000 N forefront trauma to an atrophic edentulous mandible by using the finite element analysis method.
Materials and methods: Three types of mandible models were simulated; the first one was an edentulous atrophic mandible model; in the second model, 3.5 × 11.5 mm CFR-PEEK implants; and in the third model, 4.3 × 11.5 mm CFR-PEEK implants were positioned in the region of the lateral incisor of the identical edentulous atrophic mandible.
Results: Maximum Von Misses stresses 979.261 MPa, 1,454.69 MPa, and 1,940.71 MPa and maximum principal stresses 1,112.74 MPa, 1,249.88 MPa, and 1,251.33 MPa have been detected at the condylar neck area and minimum principal stresses - 1,203.38 MPa, -1,503.21 MPa, and - 1,990.34 MPa have been recorded at the symphysis and corpus regions from M1 to M3, respectively. In addition, the M2 and M3 models showed low-stress distributions around the implant-bone interface, particularly where the implants were in contact with cancellous bone.
Conclusions: The results showed that the insertion of different diameters of CFR-PEEK implants led to low and homogenous stress distribution all around the implant-bone interface and stresses transferred directly to the condylar neck areas. Therefore, it was observed that CRF-PEEK implants did not change the basic behavior of the mandibula in response to frontal stresses.
Keywords: Carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone; dental implant; finite element analysis; fracture; overdenture.