# Influence of Conventional and Innovative Abutment Designs and Retention Mechanisms on the Biomechanics and Microgap Pattern: A 3D Finite Element Analysis

## TL;DR

This study compares different dental implant abutment designs to see how they affect stress and biomechanics in the implant system.

## Contribution

The study introduces a cementless link-retained abutment system and evaluates its biomechanical performance using 3D finite element analysis.

## Key findings

- The cementless link-retained abutment system showed lower stress on implants and abutments compared to conventional systems.
- Increased implant angulation led to higher stress values across all parameters.
- The cementless system exhibited higher stress in the peri-implant bone but better load distribution in tilted configurations.

## Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the biomechanics of three abutment systems with distinct retention mechanisms and their impact on the implant–abutment interface (IAI). The finite element analysis method was used to model maxillary three-unit restorations with conventional cement-retained abutment (CRA), multi-unit abutment (MUA), and innovative cementless link-retained abutment (LRA) systems. Dental implants were positioned at 0°/0°, 15°/15°, and 25°/25° angulation combinations. Analyses were performed under 400 N vertical and 200 N oblique loading applied at a 45° angulation. The LRA system exhibited lower stress on the implants and abutments under both loading conditions, whereas the CRA system demonstrated the highest stress. In contrast, the maximum principal stresses within the peri-implant bone were the highest in the LRA system under both loading conditions. Despite greater IAI displacement in the molar region, no specific abutment system exhibited distinct superiority under different scenarios. Overall, an increase in implant angulation led to higher stress values across all parameters. The MUA and LRA systems demonstrated reduced stress concentration and more uniform load distribution compared with the CRA system under tilted implant configurations. The findings suggest that the innovative cementless LRA system may serve as a feasible alternative to conventional CRA and MUA systems, exhibiting superior biomechanical performance, particularly compared with the CRA system.