Design optimization of a radial functionally graded dental implant

Abstract In this work, we use FEA to test the hypothesis that a low‐modulus coating of a cylindrical zirconia dental implant would reduce the stresses in the peri‐implant bone and we use design optimization and the rule of mixture to estimate the elastic modulus and the porosity of the coating that provides optimal stress shielding. We show that a low‐modulus coating of a dental implant significantly reduces the maximum stresses in the peri‐implant bone without affecting the average stresses thus creating a potentially favorable biomechanical environment. Our results suggest that a resilient coating is capable of reducing the maximum compressive and tensile stresses in the peri‐implant bone by up to 50% and the average stresses in the peri‐implant bone by up to 15%. We further show that a transitional gradient between the high‐modulus core and the low‐modulus coating is not necessary and for a considered zirconia/HA composite the optimal thickness of the coating is 100 µ with its optimal elastic at the lowest value considered of 45 GPa. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 58–66, 2016.