Modeling Dental Implants With Finite Element Analysis and Micro-Computed Tomography

X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT) allows us to construct three-dimensional images of specimens at the micron scale in a non-destructive manner. The digital nature of the microCT images, which are in voxel form, make them ideal candidates for use in numerical modeling and simulation [1]. Finite element analysis (FEA) is a well-known technique for modeling the structural response of a system to mechanical loading, and is most useful in modeling complex systems which cannot be analyzed analytically. MicroCT datasets can be converted into finite element models, directly incorporating both the geometry of the specimen and information about the different materials in it. This method is known as micro-finite element analysis (microFEA). It is especially useful in the study of materials with complex microstructures.