Titanium miniplate fixation for osteotomies in facial fibrous dysplasia--a histologic study of the screw/bone interface.

In four patients who had osteotomies of the jaws affected by fibrous dysplasia (FD), screws embedded in bone blocks were removed at a re-entry operation 20 months postoperatively. Morphometric measurement of the bone density and calculation of the bone contact percentage were performed. Both normal and dysplastic bone were found to have some direct bone contact with the titanium screws. Although the bone contact percentage was higher in the normal bone when compared with FD, statistics failed to show any significant difference (P < 0.05). The dysplastic bone healed well around the titanium screws without inflammatory reaction and direct dysplastic bone/screw contact was noted. Longer screws should be used in facial FD in order to compensate for the reduced bone contact percentage.