Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyse in vitro the stress distribution in craniofacial structures around zygomatic osseointegrated implants.

Materials and methods: Synthetic polyurethane skulls replicas were used as templates for installation of standard and zygomatic implants performing two techniques using rehabilitation with zygomatic implants. These models were used as templates for the manufacture of photoelastic models keeping the same arrangement of implants. Were performed using variations of 1 zygomatic implants in each one zygomatic bone in combination with 2 and 4 standard implants in the anterior maxilla (Models 1 and 2). The skulls replicas of photoelastic resin were subjected to photoelastic analysis after linear loading using an Instron 4411 servohydraulic mechanical testing unit with a 2-mm displacement.

Results: The stress distribution in the photoelastic analysis, the fringes were concentrated body and frontal process zygomatic bone. In the case of the model 1, higher concentrations of stress were found around the standard and zygomatic implants and surrounding bone.

Conclusions: Under the conditions tested, the rehabilitation with 2 zygomatics implants with 4 standard implants (Model2) provided the most favorable behavior.

Conflict of interest: None declared.