The implant neck: smooth or provided with retention elements. A biomechanical approach

A combined three-dimensional and axisymmetric finite element analysis was made of the effect upon the peak interfacial shear stress of providing an axially loaded mandibular dental implant with retention elements all the way up to the crest of the implant as opposed to a smooth neck. The effect of increased wall thickness of the implant and of using bi-cortical fixation as opposed to uni-cortical fixation was also studied. Retention elements at the implant neck were found to bring about a major decrease in the peak interfacial shear stress. Increased wall thickness and bi-cortical fixation also resulted in decreased peak interfacial shear stress but this effect was minor. The interpretation of this was that all these three measures increase the capacity of the implant to carry axial loads. Thus from a biomechanical viewpoint it appears to be advantageous to provide the neck of screw-shaped implants with retention elements, for example a rough surface of suitable micro-architecture and/or a micro-thread. It is furthermore suggested that retention elements at the implant neck will counteract marginal bone resorption in accordance with Wolff's law. This paper is a revision of: Hansson, S. (1997) Some steps to improve the capacity of dental implants to resist axial loads. In: Hansson, S., ed. Towards an optimized dental implant and implant bridge design: A biomechanical approach. Thesis. Göteborg: Chalmers University of Technology.