Substitutes for human cadaveric bone in maxillofacial rigid fixation research

Abstract

Objective: Various materials have been used as human bone substitutes in rigid fixation research. We hypothesize that these substitutes behave differently than human cadaveric bone in maxillofacial research.

Study design: Screw insertion torque and pull-out strength of titanium maxillofacial self-tapping bone screws (1.0 mm and 2.4 mm outer diameter) were measured in cadaveric mandible and in the following materials: bovine rib, porcine rib, photoelastic epoxy, red oak, and 2 types of synthetic mandibles. Results were tested for statistically significant differences (unpaired t test, P <.05) in comparison with human bone.

Results: For 1.0-mm screws, statistically significant differences were found for the synthetic mandibles groups and oak groups for insertion torque and porcine rib for pull-out strength. For 2.4-mm screws, statistically significant differences were found for the porcine rib and oak groups for insertion torque and the bovine rib and epoxy groups for pull-out strength.

Conclusion: The results suggest that human bone can be simulated in fixation studies with bone substitute materials.