Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 13, 2026
An Anesthesia, Surgery, and Harvest Method for the Evaluation of Transpedicular Screws Using an In Vivo Porcine Lumbar Spine Model
Published on: May 31, 2017
Biomechanical performance of poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) vs. titanium orthodontic mini-screws in artificial bone:
Aymen Adil Al-Hamadani1, Mehdi Abdul-Hadi Alrubayee1
1Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
Aim And Objectives:
This study aimed to evaluate and compare the biomechanical behavior of titanium and poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) orthodontic mini-screws. The objectives were to assess their performance through four biomechanical tests: maximum insertion torque (MIT), fracture torque (FT), vertical pull-out strength (VPS), and horizontal resistance (HR).
Materials And Methods:
A total of 156 mini-screws (78 titanium, 78 PEEK), equally divided into 1.4 mm and 1.6 mm diameter groups, were inserted into artificial bone blocks under standardized in vitro conditions. Mechanical testing was conducted to evaluate each performance parameter. Data were analyzed using IBM statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software via one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or the Kruskal-Wallis test, depending on distribution, with a significance level of P < 0.05.
Results:
The 1.6 mm PEEK group exhibited insertion torque comparable to titanium (P > 0.05), although overall PEEK screws showed lower MIT values. In FT, VPS, and HR tests, PEEK screws frequently deformed, or fractured under loading, whereas titanium screws demonstrated significantly higher mechanical performance (P < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Titanium mini-screws outperformed unreinforced PEEK screws across all mechanical tests, demonstrating superior torsional, pull-out, and lateral resistance. Additionally, larger-diameter screws (1.6 mm) showed better mechanical performance than smaller ones (1.4 mm) in both materials.
