ABSTRACT
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Stress concentration on the neck bone affects the bone resorption, and finally the implant survival. PURPOSE: In order to examine the stress distribution on the neck bone and prosthesis abutment for implants, decreasing abutment sizes were used. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Axisymmetric models were used to obtain the data required. These models were composed of 4mm implants with 3.4mm and 4mm abutments, 5mm implants with 3.4mm and 5mm abutments and 6mm implants with 3.4mm and 6mm abutments. All abutments were designed to received a 10mm high by 10mm diameter gold crown. Functional element analysis was used to obtain these results using data that consisted of 50 N vertical and 45 degree inclination forces. RESULTS: 1. Changing the diameter of the abutment on the implant affects the effect of the inclination forces more than the effect of the vertical forces. 2. Changing the diameter of the abutment on the implant affects the effect of the inclination forces more than the effect of the vertical forces. 3. Experimentation showed that the larger diameter implants provided a decreased neck bone stress, whereas a larger diameter abutment provided a decrease marginal abutment stress. 4. Experimentation showed that the neck bone and abutment received more stress from inclination forces than vertical forces. CONCLUSIONS: By decreasing the size of the abutment on the implant we were able to diminish neck bone stress.