Deflection and stress distribution in three different IMZ abutment designs

The purpose of this study was to compare the stress distribution in the resin element and the retaining screw for three different IMZ prosthetic systems: 1) original threaded Intra-Mobile Element (IME); 2) Abutment Complete (ABC); and 3) Intra-Mobile Connector (IMC). This stress distribution comparison was then related to variations in deflection of the prosthetic superstructure.

Employing the finite element method, a three-dimensional model simulating a cast gold restoration attached to an osseointegrated IMZ implant fixture was generated for each system. The representation of the implant fixture, the supporting structures, and the external contours of the crown were identical in the three models, while the configuration of the abutment varied to characterize the individual systems. Each model was discretized into axisymmetric finite elements representing the crown, the various implant system components, and supporting structures. A series of harmonic functions was written to define non-axisymmetric loads of 100 N and 500 N evenly distributed over the entire occlusal surface of the crown. Each load was applied individually to the models, first in a vertical direction, and then at a 45 degree angle to the median plane. Predicted deflection and stress distributions were computed and plotted for each loading condition of each model.

Deflections measured at the buccal cusp tip ranged from 0.002 mm (100-N load applied vertically to the ABC model) to 0.802 mm (500-N load applied at 45 degrees to the IME model). Maximum effective stresses in the retaining screw ranged from 129 MPa (100-N load applied vertically to the ABC model) to 1,315 MPa (500-N load applied at 45 degrees C to the IMC model). A correlation was observed between the peak stresses in the screw and the deflection of the superstructure.

Deflections and stress concentrations with the IMC were predicted to be in the same range as with the IME, but much greater than with the ABC.