Biomechanical behavior of 2-implant– and single-implant–retained mandibular overdentures with conventional or mini implants

Abstract

Statement of problemThe use of single or mini dental implants to retain mandibular overdentures is still questionable. PurposeThe purpose of this finite element analysis (FEA) study was to investigate the biomechanical behavior of 2- and single-implant–retained mandibular overdentures with conventional or mini implants. Material and methodsFour 3-dimensional (3D) finite element models were constructed with the following designs of mandibular overdentures: 2 (group 2-C) and single (group 1-C) conventional external hexagon implants with ball or O-ring attachment and 2 (group 2-M) and single (group 1-M) 1-piece mini implants. A 150-N axial load was applied bilaterally and simultaneously on the first molar. Overdenture displacement, von Mises equivalent stress (implants and/or prosthetic components), and maximum principal stresses (peri-implant bone) were recorded numerically and then color-coded and compared among the groups. ResultsThe overdenture displacement (in mm) was higher for the 1-M (0.16) and 2-M (0.17) groups when compared with 1-C (0.09) and 2-C (0.08). Irrespective of the type of implant, the single-implant groups presented higher values of stress (in MPa) on the implants than did the 2-implant groups (1-C=52.53; 1-M=2.95; 2-C=34.66; 2-M=2.37), ball attachment (1-C=201.33; 2-C=159.06), housing or O-ring (1-C=125.01; 1-M=1.96; 2-C=88.84; 2-M=1.27), and peri-implant cortical bone (1-C=19.37; 1-M=1.47; 2-C=15.70; 2-M=1.06). The mini implant overdentures presented lower stress values on the implants, housing or O-ring, and peri-implant bone than did the conventional implant overdentures, regardless of the number of implants. ConclusionsThe 2-implant–retained overdentures exhibited lower stresses than the single- implant–retained overdentures, irrespective of the type of implant. The mini implants demonstrated higher overdenture displacement and lower stresses than did conventional implant overdentures for single- and 2-implant–retained overdentures.