The use of a masticatory robot to analyze the shock absorption capacity of different restorative materials for implant prosthesis

The aim of the present research was to measure in vitro the chewing load forces transmitted through crowns made of different prosthetic restorative materials onto the dental implant. A masticatory robot that is able to reproduce the mandibular movements and the forces exerted during mastication was used. The forces transmitted to the simulated periimplant bone during the robot mastication were analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. The zirconia and the ceramic crowns transmitted significantly greater forces (p-value < 0.0001) than the other crowns tested. Dental materials with lower elastic modulus were better able to ansorb shock from acclusal forces than more rigid materials.