New materials and technologies offer implant dentistry to more patients. Fibre-reinforced composite is a new material that promises advantages for use in oral and craniofacial applications, as well as orthopaedics..

A study published in the Journal of Oral Implantology compared fibre‑reinforced composite and titanium implants. Researchers analysed how the materials affect stress and strain on the implant and bone tissue. They also compared interfacial stresses between the materials under 3 directions of load.

Distribution of stress and strain to the jawbone is significantly changed after reconstruction with oral implants. How an implant using fibre-reinforced composite reacts has not yet been well tested. This biomechanical connection between implant and bone can be different for each patient and is hard to measure.

This study used a three-dimensional finite element model constructed from a mandibular bone and an implant to test these materials. Although variances were observed for both, the composite performed well.