Influence of different soft liners on stress distribution in peri-implant bone tissue during healing period. A 3D finite element analysis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the stress distribution in the bone adjacent to submerged implants during masticatory function in conventional complete dentures with different soft liners through finite element analysis. Three-dimensional models of a severely resorbed mandible with 2 and 4 submerged implants in the anterior region were created and divided into the following situations: (1) conventional complete dentures (control group); and conventional complete dentures with different soft liner materials, (2) Coe-Comfort, (3) Softliner, and (4) Molteno Hard. The models were exported to mechanical simulation software and 2 simulations were done with the load in the inferior right canine (35 N) and the inferior right first molar (50 N). The data were qualitatively evaluated using the maximum principal stress and microstrain values given by the software. The use of soft liners provides decreased levels of stress and microstrains in peri-implant bone when the load was applied to canine teeth. Considering all of the values obtained in this study, the use of softer materials is the most suitable for use during the period of osseointegration.