Biomechanical Evaluation of Implant Angulation on the First Mandibular Premolar: A 3D Finite Element Study

Abstract

The design and orientation of dental implant connections play a critical role in biomechanical success, particularly in the posterior mandibular region, which is subjected to high occlusal loads. This study aims to evaluate the effect of varying abutment angulations (0°, 15°, and 25°) on stress distribution, strain, and safety factor in a reverse-buttress implant system using the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) approach. A 3D implant model was simulated within an idealized bone block using ANSYS software, applying a physiological static load of 240 N. The results showed that increasing abutment angulation significantly elevated both maximum stress and strain, particularly in the screw component, which experienced a peak stress of 455.89 MPa at 15°. The safety factor, calculated based on the yield strength of titanium grade 5 (880 MPa), decreased from 14.18 (0° abutment) to 2.94 (25° abutment). Although all configurations remained within safe limits (>1.5), the axial (0°) configuration demonstrated the most stable load distribution and the highest safety margin. This study underscores the importance of considering abutment angulation in implant planning and supports the use of safety factor–based FEA as a predictive tool for assessing implant structural safety.