MECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF MAXILLOFACIAL MINIPLATES

The effect of compression and tensile forces on different types of max illofacial miniplates,vas measured, in both as supplied and after bend ing states, Tests shelved all plates showed values of tensile force at failure in excess of that found in most clinical situations; twisting through 90 degrees about the long asis had little effect, In flatwise bending tests there was a wide scatter of values of bending stiffness and ultimate load, indicating that some plates may be stronger than n ecessary. Repeatedly bending the plates reduced their bending stiffnes s, particularly in the continuous holed plates, and increased their ul timate load to failure. Values of bending stiffness and ultimate load were much larger when bending in the edgewise direction, with large di fferences between manufacturers. The data generated in the current stu dy may assist the surgeon in deciding which type of plate to select fo r a particular clinical situation.