Objective: Alveolar ridge splitting technique (ARST) is a horizontal bone augmentation technique used in atrophic alveolar ridge. The present study aimed to evaluate the insertion of conical and cylindrical implants with the same surface structure in atrophic alveolar ridges augmented by ARST and to analyze the stress distributions on the implant and adjacent bone surfaces using three dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA). Material and Methods: The thickness of the atrophic alveolar ridge was adjusted to 5 mm. The implants were inserted in the atrophic alveolar ridges that were augmented by ARST with a torque of resistance of 35 Newtons. Stress distributions were evaluated by using FEA. Results: The results indicated that the conical implants resulted in lower strain on the implant and adjacent bone surfaces compared to cylindrical implants. It was also revealed that conical implants had a homogeneous stress distribution on the implant surfaces while the stress in cylindrical implants was mostly concentrated on the neck region. As the diameter of the implants increased, the Von Mises stress values on the adjacent bone surfaces decreased. Conclusion: Although no definitive recommendations can be made regarding the design of the implants used in ARST, the results of the present study indicated that conical implants could be more advantageous than cylindrical implants with regard to stress distribution.
Read full abstract