Application of Finite Element Analysis for Taper Implant-abutment Joints in Dental Implant Systems

Finite element analysis (FEA) is a powerful and effective tool for analyzing the mechanical behaviors of dental implants. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of taper angle on the dynamic stability of tapered abutments in a dental implant system, using dynamic FEA. The Ankylos implant system (Degussa Dental, DENTSPLY, Friadent, Germany) was selected as a dental implant with a tapered abutment. The finite element model consisted of a titanium alloy abutment and a pure titanium implant. Dynamic FEA was performed on dental implants with six different taper angles : 1°, 3°, 5°, 6°, 7°, and 9°. Both the movement corresponding to the micromotion of the tapered abutment obtained from the point at the bottom of abutment and the von Mises equivalent stress within the abutment-implant complex were analyzed when impulsive loads as external loads were loaded at the top of the abutment. The results showed that the movement corresponding to the micromotion of the tapered abutment decreased with increasing taper angle of the abutment. Additionally, maximum von Mises equivalent stress decreased with increasing taper angle. Within the limitations of this study, it was confirmed that the dynamic stability of a tapered abutment in a dental implant system was sensitive to the taper angle ; abutment stability increased with increasing taper angle. Furthermore, it was concluded that dynamic FEA is a useful technique for evaluating the dynamic stability of taper implant-abutment joints in dental implant systems.