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

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of time-to-loading on trabecular bone around single-tooth dental implants using numerical solutions based on computer models. Materials and methods:A 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. Results: Bone 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. Discussion: Reduced bone contact may not have a prevailing effect over bone quality and quantity on stress generation at the peri-implant bone. Conclusion: Time-to-loading of single-tooth implants may not differ in terms of load distributions in neighboring peri-implant bone. (C) 2009 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.