Implants have not always enjoyed a favorable reputation despite the fact that
they have been used for many years to support dental prostheses. The function of a
dental implant system is to restore dentition by providing a means of transmitting
masticatory forces to the mandibular or maxillary bone. The importance of
understanding the way in which the stresses and distortion acting in a dental implant
and its surrounding bone structure are distributed is of paramount importance in the
field of prosthetic replacement where the principal aim is to replace a damaged tooth so
that the patient can function effectively. In response to occlusal forces as well as
establishing normal dimensions of the peri-implant soft tissues, bone remodeling will
take place during the first year of function. Changes in the internal state of stress in
bone due to occlusal forces determine whether destructive or constructive bone
remodeling will occur. The careful planning of functional occlusal loading can lead to a
possible increase in bone-to-implant contact and maintain osseointegration. On the
other hand, bone loss and/or component failure can be the result of insufficient load
transfer or excessive loading.
Keywords: Bone remodeling, Dental Implants, Minimum success criteria,
Osseointegration, Occlusal force, Stress shielding.
