Author Name/s: Vamsi Krishna Dommeti, Francesco Valente, Cristina Falcinelli, Tonino Traini, Goldina Ghosh and Sandipan Roy
Journal Reference: Dommeti, V.K. et al. (2026) ‘In silico study of a bilayer titanium dental implant with a porous titanium and hydroxyapatite composite outer layer for enhanced osseointegration’, Scientific Reports, 16, 1310. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-31030-0
Background:
Successful dental implants rely on osseointegration and effective load transfer to surrounding bone. Conventional titanium implants have a higher elastic modulus than bone, potentially contributing to stress shielding and bone resorption. Porous titanium and hydroxyapatite (HA), a bioactive material that promotes bone growth, may improve biomechanical compatibility.
Aims:
To develop and evaluate a bilayer dental implant combining a solid titanium alloy core with a porous titanium–HA composite outer layer, identifying the optimal composition and shell thickness for stress distribution and peri-implant bone strain.
Methodology:
A computational, in silico study was conducted using 3D CAD modelling and finite element analysis (FEA). A mandibular bone segment and conventional titanium implant were modelled using SolidWorks and ANSYS Workbench. A 250 N axial compressive load simulated biting force. Across 108 bilayer configurations, porosity (10–90%), HA content (10–50%) and outer shell thickness (1, 1.5 and 2 mm) were varied and compared with one conventional implant. Outcomes included von Mises stress and strain at the bone–implant interface.
Results:
All bilayer configurations demonstrated lower implant stresses than the conventional implant, which recorded a maximum von Mises stress of 83 MPa. Porous designs reduced stress by approximately 69–77% in the shell and 84–94% in the core. The optimal configuration was a 2 mm porous shell containing 10% HA and 90% titanium, with 10% porosity. This design produced favourable stress distribution and physiological peri-implant bone strain.
Discussion:
The combination of porosity and HA may support bone ingrowth and improve mechanical load transfer, potentially reducing stress shielding. However, the findings are based on computational modelling rather than clinical outcomes. Assumptions included homogeneous bone properties and a single loading condition; experimental validation and further testing under different forces are required.
Conclusion:
The proposed bilayer design shows promising biomechanical potential compared with conventional implants. Laboratory testing and clinical research are needed before its benefits for osseointegration, implant longevity and patient outcomes can be confirmed.
Research summary written by: Amaani Adam
University of Manchester- BDS 4