Purpose: This research aimed to evaluate the stress and fatigue generated in short implants compared to regular implants in rehabilitation with fixed full-arch implant-supported prostheses in atrophic mandibles using the finite element method (FEM).
Materials and Methods: Four models were constructed with different implants lengths: 4, 6, 8, and 10 mm. A 100-N oblique load was applied to evaluate the stress on the bone, implant, and prosthetic components.
Results: Similar behavior was observed for all groups, except for 4 mm, which showed more discrepant values. During the fatigue test, all the groups exhibited infinite lives except G4.
Conclusion: Based on the similarity of all the models, it is suggested that all short implants investigated are seemingly viable alternatives for the rehabilitation of atrophic mandibles. However, the 6-mm-long and 8-mm-long implants evinced more favorable mechanical behavior than the 4-mm-long type.
Keywords: biomechanics, complete denture, dental implants, finite element analysis
