The achievement and the maintenance of dental implant stability are prerequisites
for the long-term success of the osseointegration process. Since implant stability occurs
at different stages, it is clinically required to monitor an implant over time, i.e. between
the surgery and the placement of the artificial tooth. In this framework, non-invasive tests
able to assess the degree of osseointegration are necessary. In this paper, the
electromechanical impedance (EMI) method is proposed to monitor the stability of dental
implants. A 3D finite element model of a piezoceramic transducer (PZT) bonded to a
dental implant placed into the bone was created, considering the presence of a bone-
implant interface subjected to Young’s modulus change. The numerical model was
validated experimentally by testing bovine bone samples. The EMI response of a PZT,
bonded to the abutment screwed to implants inserted to the bone, was measured. To
simulate the osseointegration process a pulp canal sealer was used to secure the implant
to the bone. It was found that the PZT’s admittance is sensitive to the stiffness variation
of the bone-implant interface. The results are promising because they show the potential
of EMI method to (i) evaluate the material properties around dental implant, and (ii)
promote a novel non-invasive monitoring of dental implant surgical procedure
