Biomechanical rationale for short implants in splinted restorations: an in vitro study

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Implantology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Short dental implants are increasingly used, but their biomechanical performance in splinted restorations requires thorough evaluation.
• Understanding strain distribution in short implants is crucial for predicting long-term success and optimizing prosthetic design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the biomechanical performance of short implants in different splinted restoration configurations.
• To investigate the influence of implant diameter and splinting strategy on strain in dental restorations.

Main Methods:

• Seven implants with strain gauges were placed in an acrylic block.
• Two experimental setups were tested: short-short (SS) implant splinted restoration and short-long (SL) implant splinted restoration.
• A 50-N oblique load was applied, and strain was measured across different implant diameters (3.8, 4.4, 5.0 mm).

Main Results:

• Strain significantly decreased with increasing implant diameter in both SS and SL restorations.
• The strain observed in splinted implants of the same diameter was identical to that of implants splinted with a single long implant.
• No significant difference in biomechanical effectiveness was found between splinting two short implants versus splinting a short implant with a long implant.

Conclusions:

• Splinting two short dental implants offers biomechanical effectiveness equivalent to splinting with a single long implant.
• This finding supports the use of short implants in specific splinted restoration scenarios, potentially simplifying treatment and reducing costs.
• Implant diameter is a critical factor in reducing strain, highlighting its importance in the biomechanical design of dental restorations.