Impact of peri-implant bone resorption, prosthetic materials, and crown to implant ratio on the stress distribution of short implants: a finite element analysis

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of prosthetic materials and crown/implant (C/I) ratio on short implants with a marginal bone resorption. Three-dimensional finite element analysis was used to simulate stress distribution under static loading in non-resorption and resorption scenarios (3-mm vertical bone loss) in implants restored with single crowns and C/I ratios of 1:1, 1.5:1, and 2:1 were evaluated. Different crown materials were used: porcelain-fused to metal, porcelain-fused to zirconia, monolithic zirconia, and zirconia-based crown veneered with indirect composite resin. The C/I ratio, the peri-implant bone resorption, and the loading conditions were the key factors affecting the generated stress in short implants. In non-resorption models, von Mises stress ranged between 50 and 105 MPa whereas in resorption models, the values ranged from 168 to 322 MPa, both increasing with the higher C/I ratio under oblique forces. Under axial loading, the C/I ratio did not influence the stress values as the presence of resorption was the only parameter increasing, 57 MPa for the non-resorption models and 101 MPa for the resorption models, respectively. Preference of a prosthetic material was ineffective on the distribution of stress in the bone and implant structure under static loading in any models. The peri-implant bone resorption and a higher C/I ratio in short implants increase the stress values under both axial and oblique forces, whereas the crown material does not influence stress distribution in the surrounding bone and implant structure.