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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to derive alternative implant shapes which could minimize the stress concentration at the shoulder level of the implant. Materials and Methods: A topological shape optimization technique (soft kill option), which mimics biological growth, was used in conjunction with the finite element (FE) method to optimize the shape of a dental implant under loads. Shape optimization of the implant was carried out using a 2-dimensional (20) FE model of the mandible. Three-dimensional (3D) FE analyses were then performed to verify the reduction of peak stresses in the optimized design. Results: Some of the designs formulated using optimization resembled the shape of a natural tooth. Guided by the results of the optimization, alternative implant designs with a taper and a larger crestal radius at the shoulder were derived. Subsequent FE analyses indicated that the peak stresses of these …