This study evaluated the biomechanical influence of apical bone anchorage on a single subcrestal dental implant using three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA). Four different bone anchorage designs were simulated on a posterior maxillary segment using one implant with platform switching and internal Morse taper connection as follows: 2 mm subcrestal placement with (SW) or without (SO) the implant apex engaged into the cortical bone or position at bone level with anchorage only in the crestal cortical (BO) bone or with bicortical fixation (BW). Each implant received a premolar crown, and all models were loaded with 200 N to simulate centric and eccentric occlusion. The peak tensile and compressive stress and strain were calculated at the crestal cortical, trabecular, and apical cortical bone. The vertical and horizontal implant displacements were measured at the platform level. FEA indicated that subcrestal placement (SW and SO) created lower stress and strain in the crestal cortical bone compared with crestal placement (BO and BW models). The SW model exhibited lesser vertical and horizontal implant micromovement compared with the SO and BO models under eccentric loading; however, stress and strain were higher in the apical cortical bone. The BW model exhibited the lowest implant displacement. These results indicate that subcrestal placement decreases the stress in the crestal cortical bone of dental implants, regardless of apical anchorage; however, apical cortical anchorage can be effective in limiting implant displacement. Further studies are required to evaluate the effects of possible remodeling around the apex on the success of subcrestal implants.

Considering the limitations of this study, it was concluded that gender might be considered a risk factor for masticatory performance of CD wearers. Female patients demonstrated reduced masticatory performance in comparison to male patients.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the type of prosthetic abutment associated to different implant connection on bone biomechanical behavior of immediately and delayed loaded implants. Computed tomography-based finite element models comprising a mandible with a single molar implant were created with different types of prosthetic abutment (UCLA or conical), implant connection (external hexagon, EH or internal hexagon, IH), and occlusal loading (axial or oblique), for both immediately and delayed loaded implants. Analysis of variance at 95%CI was used to evaluate the peak maximum principal stress and strain in bone after applying a 100 N occlusal load. The results showed that the type of prosthetic abutment influences bone stress/strain in only immediately loaded implants. Attachment of conical abutments to IH implants exhibited the best biomechanical behavior, with optimal distribution and dissipation of the load in peri-implant bone.

No abstract

With populations aging around the world, the need for complete dentures is likely to increase in Brazil and other developing countries, as well among low‐income populations globally, making the teaching of cost‐efficient techniques to dental students essential. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of complete dentures fabricated by the simplified method in comparison to the conventional method regarding patients' oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) and satisfaction, dentures' functional quality, and masticatory performance of patients who were rehabilitated by dental students. From February 2016 to April 2017, final‐year dental students at the Federal University of Alfenas, Brazil, were instructed to fabricate new complete dentures for 36 edentulous patients, who were randomly divided into two groups according to denture manufacturing method: simplified method or conventional method. Patients' OHRQoL and satisfaction and the prostheses quality were evaluated at one, three, and six months. Masticatory performance was evaluated at three months. The results showed there was no significant difference between the two methods regarding OHRQoL, patient satisfaction, prostheses quality, or masticatory performance (p>0.05). All aspects evaluated also remained constant for the same group (simplified method or conventional method) in all periods of evaluation (p>0.05). The study concluded that the simplified method for complete denture fabrication was able to produce protheses with functional quality and patient satisfaction comparable to those produced with the conventional method, even when made by dental students.