An Experimental Analysis of the Stresses on the Implant in an Implant-Tooth--Supported Prosthesis: A Technical Note

When a natural tooth connected to an implant abutment by a framework is displaced within physiologic limits under functional loads, the superstructure acts as a cantilever moment arm and the implant is loaded additionally during that moment effect. The effects of a deflecting support connected to an IMZ implant, with either the IMC resilient or the titanium rigid element, were evaluated through an experimental model. The strain values measured when the moment arm was not allowed to deflect were only 30% lower than the strains measured when it was deflected within the limits of physiologic tooth mobility. The IMC was effective and achieved a reduction in the cervical strains up to 60% when compared with the rigid connector.