A Transient Heat Transfer Analysis of Thermal Necrosis-Aided Dental Implant Removal

A prevalent and widely favoured solution for replacing lost teeth is the use of dental implants. The removal of dental implants, even when they are osseointegrated but unsuccessful, can be traumatic, resulting in the loss of healthy bone and adding complexity to the treatment procedure. Reducing the trauma associated with implant removal can be achieved by intentionally weakening the bone-implant attachment. To achieve this objective, a suggested approach involves utilising thermal necrosis to aid in the minimally invasive removal of implants. The objective of this study was to use finite element analysis to explore the optimal power output for intentionally inducing thermal necrosis in a dental implant. SolidWorks software was utilised to create a three-dimensional model of a dental implant assembly, which includes an abutment, screw, and implant body integrated into a segment of mandibular bone. The model was subsequently analysed using ANSYS software, applying device powers ranging from 5 to 40 W in 5 W increments on the top surface of the abutment. The results of the study showed that there was a considerable elevation in the temperatures of the bone and implant, even when employing the low power settings commonly used in electrosurgical procedures. Elevating the power level has led to a decrease in the time required for the bone and implant to reach 47°C, the initial temperature at which bone necrosis occurs. However, it is crucial to take into account the significant temperature rise in the implant body at higher power levels. The implementation of lower power settings could present a viable approach to achieving controlled osteonecrosis.