New design titanium miniplate in mandibular angle fracture treatment: a biomechanical study

Abstract

Angle mandible is one of the most common fractures in the mandible. Fractures of the angle mandible are one of the most problematic areas in the facial area due to the high frequency of complications and difficult access to the surgical site. Although there are many available miniplates and screws with several geometrical models for use in mandibular angle fractures, geometrical features of these materials and the optimal number and site of placement of plates have yet to be determined. An ideal plate should be durable and potent enough to endure the functional burden. This study employed 12 mandible replicas made of rigid polyurethane resin used with appropriately standardized measurements. A full-thickness fracture line was present on the angle of all mandible replicas. Four groups were formed. In the our study, mandibular angle fracture line was fixed with parallel two straight plates, a butterfly plate, a square plate, and a newly designed three-dimensional (3D) hourglass-shaped plate. Fixation was performed with a different miniplate in each group. Three samples were formed from each group. Each model was subjected to a compression test at a displacement-controlled loading. Loading was continued after maximum load was reached. The latter revealed a significant difference between the newly designed plate and the other three plates (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we suggest that with the newly designed plate, which was used for the first time in the our study and showed a greater resistance in mandibula fractures, designed plate application will be more effectively used in clinical practice.