New Subperiosteal Dental Implant Design with Finite Element Analysis and Mechanical Validation: A Design Validation Study.

New subperiosteal dental implants were designed to offer new options to edentulous patients with severe bone resorption for whom endosseous dental implants are not advisable. In our study, we aimed to design and manufacture subperiosteal dental implants with a minimum volume to facilitate surgical maneuvers and metal coverage by mucosa while ensuring maximal long-term implant strength and functionality. With cone-beam CT-scan data obtained from an edentulous patient, a maxilla and mandible recreation were created, and subperiosteal implants were designed and analyzed with FEA (250 MPa infinite-life limit stress). We redesigned them until they stood the infinite-life limit loads mentioned above. Then, they were manufactured with Ti6Al4V alloy and laser-powder bed fusion technology. All implants withstood mechanical tests (450 N static and 150 N loads for five-million cycle 150 N fatigue tests) with no failures. The first design resulted in maxillary and mandibular implant failures. Through the redesign process, the implant volume was reduced, and the number and placement of bone fixation screws were optimized while maintaining resistance to chewing. Once manufactured, these new implants withstood the loads mentioned above without failure. Our subperiosteal dental implants are an option for edentulous patients with severe maxilla and mandibular bone resorption. Manufactured with Ti6Al4V alloy and laser-powder bed fusion technology, they withstood the above-mentioned mechanical tests without failure.