Biomechanical evaluation of Chinese customized three-dimensional printed titanium miniplate in the Lefort I osteotomy: A finite element analysis

OBJECTIVES: This work aims to evaluate the biomechanical behavior of Chinese customized three-dimensional (3D) −printed miniplates by means of finite element analysis (FEA). METHODS: A 3D Lefort I osteotomy model was established by Mimics. Two models were established to compare the strain behaviors of customized miniplate and conventional L-shaped miniplate. Hypermesh and ABAQUS were used to establish computer-aided engineering finite element models. The stress distribution on the mini-plates, screws and bone and the relative displacement of the maxilla segments were analyzed by loading postoperative occlusal force. RESULTS: The displacements for customized mini-plate fixation were notably smaller than L-shaped mini-plate fixation. The maximum stresses on the screws, mini-plates and cortical bone for customized mini-plates were smaller than that for L-shaped miniplates. CONCLUSION: Chinese customized 3D-printed miniplates provide better postoperative stability and offer a good alternative to the conventional L-shaped miniplate system.