A three-dimensional maxillary bone model was constructed using CT-images. The distribution of Young’s modulus was also estimated from the bone mineral density distribution. Four or six implants were embedded into the maxillary model and a metal prosthesis was attached to the implants. Computational analysis of the maxilla model was performed in order to characterize effects of the number of embedded implants on the stress state of the maxilla under two different loading conditions. For the two loading conditions, the distribution of strain energy density was severely concentrated especially around the right-molar implant, suggesting bone damage and absorption in this region. The 4-implants model with rear implantation and shortened prosthesis showed almost the same value of strain energy density in the 6-implants model. It is thus concluded that this kind of 3-D modeling could clinically be used for predicting the optimal position of implantation corresponding to each patient.
