Biomechanical Performance and Clinical Potential of ZnO–CaO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ (ZCAS) Glass-Ceramic Dental Implants: A Comprehensive Finite Element Analysis

Kamal Gonto, Hamza A. M., Bello A. A., Sule A.A., Gonto A.M., Liman Zara, Muhammad F. U., Otto M. U., Abubakar Abdulkadri, Abdulmumin Idris, Alhassan Tijjani

Abstract


Finite element analysis (FEA) offers a predictive, physics-based approach for evaluating the mechanical viability of dental implant materials prior to experimental and clinical validation. In this work, the elastic and dynamic mechanical response of a zinc–calcium–aluminosilicate (ZCAS) glass-ceramic dental implant was investigated using three-dimensional finite element Modelling in COMSOL Multiphysics. The implant–bone system was analyzed under physiologically representative oblique static loads (70–150 N) and time-dependent cyclic masticatory excitation at typical chewing frequencies. The computed stress field reveals localized von Mises stress concentration at the implant neck and first thread, consistent with classical elastic contact mechanics of endosseous implants. The maximum stress magnitude (~2.3 × 10⁴ N·m⁻²) remains several orders of magnitude below the reported compressive strength of ZCAS glass (300–500 MPa), indicating a high mechanical safety margin. Displacement analysis predicts a maximum deformation of approximately 3.5 × 10⁻⁴ m, corresponding to micromotion levels compatible with stable bone–implant interaction. Transient simulations demonstrate rapid stress equilibration within ~2 × 10⁻⁴ s, confirming a fully elastic response with negligible residual strain accumulation under cyclic loading. Numerical accuracy was verified through mesh convergence analysis, yielding stress deviations below 2%. From a solid mechanics perspective, the results confirm that ZCAS glass-ceramic implants satisfy key elastic stability and load-transfer requirements for dental applications. When coupled with the intrinsic bioactivity and antibacterial functionality associated with Zn-containing glass systems, ZCAS glass emerges as a mechanically sound and multifunctional alternative to conventional metallic implant materials. 


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