Selection of the Spatial Structure of a Personalized Implant to Fill a Bone Defect in the Mandible – Preliminary Studies
Abstract
The primary function of the stomatognathic system, encompassing the maxilla and mandible, is mastication. In oncology patients undergoing partial or total mandibular resection due to pathological lesions, the principal objective is to re-establish osseous continuity. This is achieved through the fixa-tion of a titanium reconstruction plate contoured to match the excised mandibular segment’s geometry. Commercial reconstruction plates often present challenges in accurately replicating the natural man-dibular contour. Preoperative or intraoperative bending of these plates may induce structural stress con-centrations, increasing the likelihood of plate fracture during functional use [1,2]. This study quantitatively evaluates displacement magnitudes in targeted regions following mandibu-lar body resection, utilizing various reconstruction plate systems. Specifically, two commercially availa-ble implant types and one additively manufactured implant were employed. The models were symmet-rically supported and subjected to a static load of 180 N. Displacement measurements were obtained using a DANTEC Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system. Results indicate that higher-fidelity geomet-ric reconstructions yield displacement patterns more closely aligned with those observed in the unal-tered anatomical model. The application of commercial implants (Modus M-4566 and Modus M2-4603) results in increased structural stiffness, potentially leading to functional discomfort in masticatory mus-cles. Excessive stiffness of the bone-implant interface may predispose to implant fracture or localized osteonecrosis.
