Implant-protected occlusion: a biomechanical rationale.

The clinical success and longevity of endosteal dental implants are controlled, in a large part, by the mechanical milieu within which they function. The occlusion is a critical component of such a mechanical environment. "Implant-protected occlusion" refers to an occlusal schema that is often uniquely specific to the restoration of endosteal implant prostheses. Implant orientation and the influence of load direction, the surface area of implants, occlusal table width, and protecting the weakest area are blended together from a biomechanical rationale to provide support for a specific occlusal philosophy.