Biomechanical evaluation of a custom-made mandibular plate

Abstract

In the field of maxillofacial surgery, mandibular reconstruction with plates is one of the operations that is performed when resection of part of the jaw is unavoidable in patients suffering from pathologies such as, for example, neoplasms and osteonecrosis. Through the use of standard prostheses, which are commercially available in various models, mandibular reconstruction is possible. However, in the presence of particularly serious and complex clinical pictures, in which it is necessary to resect large parts of the mandibular bone, such as in some oncological cases, the use of serial prostheses is not always resolving. In these cases, a customized implant, designed specifically for the patient, is preferable. Aim of this work is the mechanical evaluation of a custom-made mandibular plate with an innovative bone-implant interface geometry through a finite element analysis. Three physiological loading conditions were analysed: RUC (right unilateral canine) bite, RGF (right group functional) bite and maximum opening. Finally, the maximum pull-out force acting on the fixation screws was evaluated through an experimental fatigue test.