Fatigue performance analysis of dental implants: Influence of thread design

Abstract

This study investigates the fatigue performance of dental implants made from titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V), with a focus on the influence of thread geometry on fatigue resistance. Two implant models with distinct thread profiles are considered: triangular and trapezoidal. The implants were designed using CAD software and analyzed via finite element analysis (FEA) by ANSYS. A fixed part was considered to simulate the surrounding bone, and a force of 118.2 N was applied according to ISO 14801 dental standard [1]. The results of static analysis reveal that the triangular thread design is subjected to the high peak stress of 290MPa localized at the thread edges, which could be a potential site of fatigue failure. In contrast, the trapezoidal thread design demonstrates lower level of stress distribution, with a reduced of the maximum stress concentrations of 216MPa. Fatigue analysis shows that the trapezoidal threaded implant offers significantly better performance, with a minimum lifespan approximately 4.7 times higher than the triangular threaded implant. The obtained result could be attributed to its larger contact surface and optimized load distribution compared to the triangular thread geometry. These findings highlight the importance of thread geometry in enhancing the mechanical reliability and longevity of dental implants.