Design of dynamic test equipment for the testing of dental implants

The market demand for dental implants is growing at a significant pace. There are mainly two common types of retention methods to fix the abutment to the implant. These are achieved by screw and taper locks. Screw loosening is a major concern and the taper lock system is relatively new and has many advantages over the screw system. This paper outlines a proposal for a novel test rig for dynamic testing of this taper-lock system. The test rig will simulate the magnitude and directions of the forces experienced in the oral cavity during mastication. The test rig will be used in a laboratory environment to investigate the loading conditions that cause the taper-locks to fail and how their location in the oral cavity can be adjusted to avoid failure conditions.