Hojjat Ghahramanzadeh Asl1, Akgün Alsaran2. 1. Department of Mechanical Engineering Department, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey. 2. Independent researcher, Eskişehir, Turkey.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Implants called miniplates, with different geometries, are used for the treatment of a fractured or diseased mandible. Generally, Ti-based miniplates in various quantities and with various geometries are fixed into the bone tissue according to the location and shape of the fracture by embedding. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to increase the strength of the material used in the production of miniplates by means of the equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) treatment, and to provide a highrigidity fixation system with fewer miniplates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, the ECAP method, which is one of the methods of severe plastic deformation, was applied at 4 passes at 300°C in route Bc to increase the strength of pure Ti. Then, miniplates were produced with 2 different geometries (regular and long) and 2 different properties of the Ti material (untreated and ECAP-treated). The produced miniplates were placed in the fracture line formed in the angular region of an artificial, synthetic-bone mandible. The 2-point and 3-point bending and torsion tests were conducted on these fixation systems. RESULTS: As a result, after the ECAP process, the yield and tensile strength of pure Ti increased by 65%, while elongation decreased by 13%. After the ECAP process, the grain size of the material was reduced from 110 μm to 200 nm. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the fixation system became more rigid due to using ECAP-treated miniplates, and this ensured lesser displacement of the fixation system.
BACKGROUND: Implants called miniplates, with different geometries, are used for the treatment of a fractured or diseased mandible. Generally, Ti-based miniplates in various quantities and with various geometries are fixed into the bone tissue according to the location and shape of the fracture by embedding. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to increase the strength of the material used in the production of miniplates by means of the equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) treatment, and to provide a highrigidity fixation system with fewer miniplates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, the ECAP method, which is one of the methods of severe plastic deformation, was applied at 4 passes at 300°C in route Bc to increase the strength of pure Ti. Then, miniplates were produced with 2 different geometries (regular and long) and 2 different properties of the Ti material (untreated and ECAP-treated). The produced miniplates were placed in the fracture line formed in the angular region of an artificial, synthetic-bone mandible. The 2-point and 3-point bending and torsion tests were conducted on these fixation systems. RESULTS: As a result, after the ECAP process, the yield and tensile strength of pure Ti increased by 65%, while elongation decreased by 13%. After the ECAP process, the grain size of the material was reduced from 110 μm to 200 nm. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the fixation system became more rigid due to using ECAP-treated miniplates, and this ensured lesser displacement of the fixation system.