A biomechanical analysis of titanium miniplates used for treatment of mandibular symphyseal fractures with the finite element method.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate the stress distribution and stress shielding effect of titanium miniplates used for the treatment of symphyseal fractures using finite element (FE) analysis.


METHODS
Two 3-D FE models of symphyseal fractured mandibles reduced by technique 1, reduction with a single miniplate, and technique 2, reduction with 2 miniplates, respectively, were developed. Three basic loading conditions were simulated.


RESULTS
The ratios of stress shielding of miniplates were different. Ratios of the lower miniplates in technique 2 were much higher than the upper miniplates and the miniplates in technique 1 during all conditions, and that value of the lower miniplate gained a maximum value of 83.34% during left unilateral molar clenching. The stress areas were concentrated on the central section of the miniplates. However, the stress distribution varied with masticatory conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrated that miniplate stress distribution and stress shielding effect ratio were affected not only by the way in which the mandible was loaded but also by the number of the miniplates fixing the fracture.
Ji
Baohui
B
State Key Laboratory of Oral Disease, Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China.
Wang
Chun
C
Liu
Lei
L
Long
Jie
J
Tian
Weidong
W
Wang
Hang
H
D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001732:Bite Force; D001860:Bone Plates; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D016268:Internal Fixators; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D003765:Models, Dental; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014025:Titanium
D014025:Titanium