Clinical applications of occlusal principles in implantology

Abstract

There has been reported that the clinical success and longevity of dental implants can be achieved by biomechanically controlled occlusion. Due to the lack of the periodontal ligament, osseointegrated implants, unlike natural teeth, react biomechanically in a different fashion to occlusal forces. It is therefore believed that implant overload is the primary cause of failure after loading. The purposes of this paper are to discuss differences between teeth and implants, the oclusal overloading factors, the types and principles of implant occlusion, and the clinical applications of the Implant-Protected Occlusion scheme, evaluating the importance of implant occlusion for implant longevity and providing clinical guidelines of optimal implant occlusion.