Complete dentures fixed on dental implants: chewing patterns and implant stress.

Electrognathographic measurements on 18 patients with implant-attached mandibular complete dentures showed larger and more stable chewing patterns compared to their former dentures without implants. Strain gauge measurements revealed mechanical stress acting on the implants even during the fixation of the bar. In addition to simulating the periodontal ligament, the intramobile element (IME) of the IMZ system compensated minor, clinically undetectable mismatches inherent with technical procedures (casting, soldering). Although the implants are loaded with tensile and compressive stress, tensile stress dominated during the chewing process. The implants were also loaded during swallowing. This load reached half of the value of the chewing loads.