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Finite element comparison of titanium and polyetheretherketone materials for mandibular defect reconstruction
Liwen Chen1, Liping Gao1, Haipo Cui1
1Shanghai Institute for Minimally Invasive Therapy, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology Shanghai 200093, China.
Objective:
To evaluate the biomechanical performance of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and titanium alloys in a base-type fixation system for mandibular defect reconstruction following partial resection due to tumors, trauma, or cancer, using finite element analysis.
Methods:
Finite element analysis was conducted to simulate a fixation system made from titanium alloys, including pure titanium (Ti), Ti6Al4V (TC4), and Ti35Nb7Zr5Ta (TiNb), as well as PEEK materials, including unmodified PEEK, glass fiber-reinforced PEEK (GFR-PEEK), and carbon fiber-reinforced PEEK (CFR-PEEK). The biomechanical performance of these materials was compared.
Results:
The PEEK-based fixation systems generated higher maximum stress on the mandible and fibula compared to the titanium alloy systems, particularly with the GFR-PEEK fixation system. When loaded in the anterior region, the maximum stress on the mandible exceeded its yield strength, indicating that both PEEK and GFR-PEEK are unsuitable for mandibular defect repair. CFR-PEEK, however, exhibited more favorable stress distribution, making it a better candidate for these applications.
Conclusion:
Prolonged low stress on the bone may result in resorption or degeneration. Among the materials analyzed, CFR-PEEK demonstrated the most stable performance, suggesting it as the optimal choice for mandibular defect repair in fixation systems.
