• Burak Bayram, Kenan Araz, Sina Uckan, and Cenk Balcik.
• Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey. dtburak@yahoo.com
• J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 2009 Aug 1; 67 (8): 1644-8.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to compare the fixation reliability and stability of titanium and resorbable plates and screws by simulating chewing forces.Materials And MethodsMandibular angle fractures in 11 sheep hemimandibles were fixed with 4-hole straight titanium plates and 2.0 x 7-mm titanium screws; in addition, 11 hemimandibles were fixed with 4-hole straight resorbable plates and 2.5 x 6-mm resorbable screws according to the Champy technique. The hemimandibles were mounted with a fixation device in a servohydraulic testing unit for compressive testing. Displacement values under 20, 60, 100, 120, 150, and 200 N; maximum displacements; and maximum forces that the model could resist before breakage were recorded and compared.ResultsSignificant differences were found between resorbable and titanium plates and screws at all forces (20, 60, 100, 120, 150, and 200 N) (P < .05). We found no statistically significant differences in the breaking force and maximum displacement values (displacement values at the breaking forces) between the groups.ConclusionsThe stability of mandibular angle fractures with titanium miniplates under simulated chewing forces was significantly higher than with the resorbable system. Metallic and resorbable fixation systems cannot be used interchangeably to treat mandibular angle fractures under similar loading conditions.

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