Titanyum, zirkonya, peek ve GFR-PEEK'ten oluşan tek parça dental i̇mplantlarin anterior maksillada biyomekanik ve termal analizi: sonlu elemanlar analizi

Objective: Titanium is the primary material for dental implants, but interest in alternatives has grown due to hypersensitivity, aesthetics, and the trend toward metal-free treatments. Advances in chemistry have led to the use of polymer-based materials in dentistry, particularly Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and its derivatives. These materials offer aesthetic benefits and physical properties closer to alveolar bone and dentin. This study aims to identify the best titanium alternative for implants in the anterior maxilla. Materials and Methods: The study tested four different dental implant materials—titanium, zirconium, PEEK, and GFR-PEEK—by placing one-piece 4.0-18 mm implants in the maxillary left central incisor. A 100N oblique force at a 30° angle was applied to evaluate stress distribution. Maximum and minimum principal stresses in the alveolar bone were analyzed, while implant stresses were measured using Von Mises stress (MPa). Thermal loading simulated an oral temperature of 60°C for 1 second, and temperatures at the cervical and apical implant-bone interfaces were recorded. Results: The study found that PEEK implants exhibited the highest maximum and minimum principal stress levels. Zirconia implants (Group 2) caused the highest stress concentration in the alveolar bone. Thermal analysis showed that titanium implants (Group 1) had the highest temperature in the cervical region, while all groups had identical temperatures in the apical region. Overall, cervical temperatures were higher than apical temperatures in all groups. Conclusion: PEEK and its derivatives show promise as reliable alternatives to titanium for anterior jaw implants and cases of severe hypersensitivity. However, further in vivo and clinical studies are needed for definitive conclusions. Key Words: Anterior maxilla, dental implant, PEEK, finite elemental analysis, thermal