Finite element analysis relative to the crestal position of a 3.0-mm-diameter implant.

It has been shown that implant designs and different vertical positions have an influence on crestal bone. The purpose of this study was to use finite element (FE) analysis to biomechanically investigate the influence of the stress/strain distribution in a maxillary anterior 3.0-mm-diameter implant in relation to its apicocoronal level after oblique loading. Two different FE models, depending on implant position relative to bone crest, were applied. It can be concluded that placing the implant-abutment interface supracrestally provides decreased levels of stress and strain in the surrounding bone. However, placing the implant 0.5 mm supracrestally is also acceptable according to this analysis.