Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was: (1) to compare the coefficients of friction between commercially pure
titanium (cpTi), titanium (Ti) alloy, and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and: (2) to investigate the dynamic
behavior of an implant system before, during, and after loading, by transient dynamic three-dimensional
finite element analysis (FEA).
Methods: Coefficients of friction were measured by a ball-on-disk frictional wear testing device. The
preload in the screw shaft was calculated from geometric parameters. Two abutment model designs were
created, namely a Ti alloy abutment model with a porcelain-fused-to-metal super structure and a YSZ
abutment model with a porcelain-fused-to-zirconia super structure. Transient dynamic three-dimensional
FEA was performed on ANSYS Workbench Ver. 15.0.
Results: The coefficients of friction of YSZ/cpTi, YSZ/Ti alloy, Ti alloy/cpTi, and Ti alloy/Ti alloy were 0.4417,
0.3455, 0.3952, and 0.3489, respectively. The preload generated in the abutment screw of the FEA model
was set to be 158 N. Significantly differences were not found in the maximum von Mises equivalent stress
between the Ti alloy and YSZ abutment models before, during, and after loading.
Conclusion: The findings indicate differences in the coefficients of friction of cpTi, Ti alloy, and YSZ before,
during, and after loading. Fractures caused by stress did not depend on the use of different materials (Ti
alloy and YSZ) at the abutment.
