SINGLE IMPLANT–RETAINED DENTURES: LOADING OF VARIOUS ATTACHMENT TYPES UNDER OBLIQUE OCCLUSAL FORCES

Abstract

The primary clinical assessments show that single implant–retained dentures (SIDs) are not worse than two implant–retained dentures (TIDs), although the determination of SID biomechanics is still insufficient. The aim of this work was to determine the loading of commonly used denture attachments that occurs while bearing occlusal forces on SIDs. Finite element method analyses, which took into account the possibility of dentures detaching and sliding on the mucous membrane surface, were used. In the contact calculations conducted, an augmented multiplier Lagrangian method with a classical linear friction model was used. We assumed denture-loading conditions that included oblique mastication forces. The distribution of the occlusal loads between the mucous membrane–bearing area and a denture attachment was examined for economical denture solutions with solitary attachments. Variations in denture movement restrictions among the most typical ball, stud, and axially resilient attachments only insignificantly influenced lateral loads borne by single implantological supports. Axial mobility does not reduce the load on the attachments because mastication loads induce denture settlement that is oblique to the implant axis. The assumption of denture loading with vertical forces leads to a serious underestimation of the loads on implantological supports.