Modeling dental implant insertion

The success of dental implantation is connected with the so-called implant primary stability, a synonym for the implant anchoring inside the bone. The primary stability is related to the applied peak torque to the implant during the insertion process. This work simulates the process of insertion of a typical commercial implant into the jaw bone (mandible) using a 3D dynamic non-linear finite-elements software. The model considers the geometrical and mechanical properties of the implant, the bone-implant friction, and the insertion procedure parameters, namely angular velocity and normal load. The numerical results assess the influence of those parameters on the evolution of the insertion torque and the resulting bone damage. It is found that, within the model's assumptions, the angular insertion velocity (up to 120 rpm) has little or no effect on the process. The application of a normal load, in addition to the implant rotation, enforces an extrusion process in addition to the screwing one. The respective contribution of the cortical and trabecular bone components to the insertion torque reveals that, despite its significantly lower strength, the trabecular bone has a definite contribution to the insertion process. This work shows that if the various physical, geometrical and mechanical parameters of the bone-implant system are well-defined, the insertion process can be simulated prior to the surgical act, and predict, tailor and contribute to maximize the success of dental implantation in a personalized manner.