Numerical simulation of the effect of time-to-loading on peri-implant bone

PurposeTo evaluate the effect of time-to-loading on trabecular bone around single-tooth dental implants using numerical solutions based on computer models.Materials and methodsA global model with a coarse mesh carrying a Straumann dental implant (043.033S; Institut Straumann, Basel, Switzerland) was created. A region of interest in trabecular bone was defined to study a localized part of the global model with a refined mesh. Time-to-loading submodels to simulate 2 h, 4 days, 1, 4, 6 and 12 wks of trabecular bone-healing status were designed and created. Bone types were considered in the simulation by different elastic bone properties. A 100-N oblique static load was applied. Maximum and minimum principal stresses were calculated and visualized.ResultsBone types with higher elastic moduli experienced higher stress levels. Changes in the quality and quantity of bone at the bone-implant interface did not affect the overall stress distribution. Peri-implant bone with a higher elastic modulus preserved the stress increase at the implant–bone interface.DiscussionReduced bone contact may not have a prevailing effect over bone quality and quantity on stress generation at the peri-implant bone.ConclusionTime-to-loading of single-tooth implants may not differ in terms of load distributions in neighboring peri-implant bone.