Finite Element Analysis of Mandibular Implants with Variations in Hole Pattern and Cortical Thickness under Axial Loads

Abstract:

The mandible is a part of the head that plays an important mechanical role, especially in activities such as chewing and speaking. Due to its prominent position and functional activity, this bone is prone to injury from accidents. In its treatment, mandibular implants are commonly used; however, structural failure often occurs due to design mismatches with physiological loading conditions. Therefore, this study conducted a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulation on mandibular implants made of Ti-6Al-4V material manufactured using the Bound Metal Deposition (BMD) method. The simulation aimed to analyze stress distribution, deformation, and safety factors across various implant designs by varying the number and position of support holes, as well as cortical thickness. A total of nine implant variations were tested, consisting of two, four, and six screw hole configurations arranged in vertical, zig-zag, and inclined patterns. Cortical thicknesses of 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, and 1.2 mm were also analyzed to evaluate their influence on implant strength, under axial loading with forces of 100 N (representing chewing force) and 800 N (maximum mandibular load capacity). The simulation results showed that the six-hole variation in Model 2 produced a safety factor of 3.05 under 100 N axial load, but significantly dropped to 0.38 under the 800 N load, indicating a high risk of fracture. On the other hand, the cortical thickness of 1.2 mm showed the best performance, achieving a safety factor of 15.00 under 100 N and 2.25 under 800 N axial load. Therefore, the combination of an inclined hole configuration and 1.2 mm cortical thickness is recommended as the strongest mandibular implant design based on this numerical analysis.

• Periodical: Journal of Biomimetics, Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (Volume 73)
• Pages: 149-169
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-5mZLlp
• Online since: July 2026
• Authors: Yasya Khalif Perdana Saleh*, Rifky Ismail, Jamari Jamari, I. Nyoman Jujur, Joni Sah, Muhammad Lintang Nur Rahman, Muhammad Untung Zaenal Priyadi
• Keywords: Bound Metal Deposition (BMD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Mandibular Implant, Ti-6Al-4V

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