Pretapped and self-tapping screws in the human midface. Torque measurements and bone screw interface

Better contact between AO miniscrews and the bone and greater resistance against torque are achieved in the human midface if the thread is not pretapped. This was demonstrated by 60 methacrylate fixed human midfacial bone sections and by 100 torque measurements. It is concluded that pretapping is not to be recommended in the thin bone of the midface.