Being part of a detailed research project concerning the structural behaviour of a human mandible this paper concerns the influence of the periodontal ligament (PDL) on the structural behaviour of the entire mandible. In the field of implant dentistry, the simulation results provide a comparison of the physiological situation (natural teeth) and the changes due to dental implants. Schlagwörter: human mandible, biomechanics, finite element simulation, periodontal ligament, adaptation of bone