Stress analysis of different osseointegrated implants supporting a distal extension prosthesis.

Controversy exists when implants are used to restore distal extension in edentulous patients. Some have advocated the use of a rigidly connected implant to the natural abutment teeth and others have recommended the inclusion of a stress-breaking element. In this study, a comparison between these two approaches was done. With the technology of strain gauges, it was possible to record stresses under a rigid and a resilient implant system connected to a natural abutment with the same prosthesis under the same loading conditions. The results of this study showed that a resilient implant system was better for the abutment and the implant. This study provides a test method that will help dentists in choosing implants for their patients with predictable results.