The Effect of a Hydroxyapatite-Reinforced Polyethylene Stress Distributor in a Dental Implant on Compressive Stress Levels in Surrounding Bone

This study investigated various designs of stress breakers incorporated into the dental implant using 3-D finite element analysis. These designs employed hydroxyapatite-reinforced polyethylene (HRP), a material capable of inducing osseointegration. The most successful design was that of a dental implant with a peripheral HRP component that was in direct contact with the bone surrounding the neck of the implant. This design lowered the compressive stress values in bone around the neck of the implant. Attempts were also made to optimize this design. Keywords: dental implants, dental models, dental stress analysis, finite element analysis, polyethylenes