Occlusal Considerations for Implant - Supported Prosthesis

The fibrous tissue interface (periodontal ligament) surrounding natural teeth acts as a viscoelastic shock absorber serving to decrease the magnitude of stress to the bone. Compared with a tooth the direct bone interface with an implant is not as resilient so the energy imparted by an occlusal force is not dissipated rather transmits a higher-intensity force to the contiguous bone. The natural teeth and their periodontal ligament provide proprioception and early detection of occlusal loads and interferences. As a result the bite forces used in mastication or parafunction can be of less magnitude. Hence the lack of proprioception can lead to a higher bite force on implant patients.