Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the daily food intake rate and the rate of screw loosening between 2 groups of rabbits with mandibular continuity defects: custom implant (CI) group and 5-hole mini-plate group.
Materials and methods: Two types of cylindrical implants were printed, and their physical strength was compared. In this study using rabbits, 1 group (n = 5) received a CI for the reconstruction of a mandibular continuity defect (CI group) and the other group (n = 5) received a 5-hole mini-plate without a bone graft (reconstruction plate [RP] group). After reconstruction, the daily food intake rate and the rate of screw loosening were examined postoperatively. Histologic examination in the CI group was performed 3 months after the operation.
Results: The design that mimicked the mandible showed greater physical strength. The amount of time required to achieve 50% recovery was shorter in the CI group than in the RP group (P = .011). The total number of loosened screws in the CI group was lower than that in the RP group at 3 months postoperatively (P = .008). New bone formation in the porous CI was evident in the CI group.
Conclusions: Rabbits with mandibular continuity defects treated with CIs for reconstruction showed faster recovery of the daily food intake rate and fewer loosened screws than those treated with a 5-hole mini-plate without bone graft.
Copyright © 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.