Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
In situ Compressive Loading and Correlative Noninvasive Imaging of the Bone-periodontal Ligament-tooth Fibrous Joint
Published on: March 7, 2014
Perpendicular pull-out force of locking versus non-locking plates in thin cortical bone using a canine mandibular
Emily I Miller1, Anthony E Acquaviva, David J Eisenmann
1Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Dr. W. Eugene and Linda Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, 1600 South 16th Street, Ames, IA 50011, USA. emiller@iastate.edu
The string-of-pearls (SOP) plate-screw construct demonstrated superior holding strength compared to the conventional limited-contact dynamic compression plate (LC-DCP) construct. SOP constructs exhibited significantly higher stiffness and load at failure in canine mandibular bone.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Orthopedics
- Biomechanical Engineering
- Surgical Implant Technology
Background:
- Thin cortical bone presents challenges for conventional plate-screw fixation.
- Optimizing implant stability is crucial for successful mandibular fracture repair.
- Novel fixation methods are continuously explored to enhance biomechanical performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the perpendicular holding strength of a string-of-pearls (SOP) plate-screw construct versus a limited-contact dynamic compression plate (LC-DCP) construct.
- To evaluate construct stiffness and load at failure in the canine mandibular ramus.
- To identify failure mechanisms associated with each construct type.
Main Methods:
- Mechanical testing of paired cadaveric canine mandibles (n=10).
- Perpendicular pull-out testing of 2.0-mm SOP and 2.0-mm LC-DCP plate-screw constructs.
- Determination of construct stiffness and load at failure using load-displacement curves.
- Analysis of failure modes via high-speed digital video recordings.
Main Results:
- String-of-pearls (SOP) constructs showed significantly greater mean construct stiffness and load at failure than LC-DCP constructs.
- LC-DCP constructs primarily failed by screw pull-out.
- SOP constructs exhibited bone slicing and fracture as prominent failure mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- SOP plate-screw constructs provide superior perpendicular load-bearing capacity compared to LC-DCP constructs in canine mandibular bone.
- The enhanced stability of SOP constructs may offer advantages in specific orthopedic applications.
- Understanding failure mechanisms is critical for refining surgical fixation techniques.
