Improving dental implant stability by optimizing thread design: Simultaneous application of finite element method and data mining approach.

Lack of knowledge regarding the optimal design of thread configuration in dental implants, which can offer a satisfactory level of stability in the implant-bone construct, is a significant challenge in the field of dental biomechanics. The purpose of this finite element analysis study was to identify the optimal thread design by investigating the effects of thread parameters such as thread depth (TD), thread width (TW), and thread pitch (TP), as well as upper (α) and lower (β) thread angles, on the maximum principal stress in cancellous and cortical bone, maximum von Mises stress in the dental implant, and maximum shear stress at the implant-bone interface. A finite element model of an alveolar bone segment with a dental implant was developed. The Latin hypercube sampling method was used to generate a dataset of virtual experiments, which were analyzed by using the decision tree method to identify suitable thread designs that minimize mechanical stimuli. Additionally, the effectiveness of thread parameters on stress levels in the bone, implant, and their interface were assessed. The results of this study, verified by comparison with previous literature, indicated that TD, TW, and upper thread angle were the most effective parameters in promoting implant stability. By analyzing the decision trees, optimum ranges for all the thread parameters were determined as follows: 0.25<TD<0.34, 0.25≤TW≤0.28, 0.8≤TP≤0.88, 66.2≤α≤80, and β≤65.4, which led to the V-shape thread design.

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Copyright © 2023 Editorial Council for The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.