Personalized lattice-structured prosthesis as a graftless solution for mandible reconstruction and prosthetic restoration: A finite element analysis

Oral cavity tumors are a prevalent cause of mandible reconstruction surgeries. The mandible is vital for functions like oralization, respiration, mastication, and deglutition. Current mandible reconstruction methods have low success rates due to complications like plate fracture or exposure, infections, and screw loosening. Autogenous bone grafts are commonly used but carry the risk of donor region morbidity. Despite technological advances, an ideal solution for mandible reconstruction remains elusive. Additive manufacturing in medicine offers personalized prosthetics from patient-specific medical images, allowing for the creation of porous structures with tailored mechanical properties that mimic bone properties. This study compared a commercial reconstruction plate with a lattice-structured personalized prosthesis under different biting and osseointegration conditions using Finite Element Analysis. Patient-specific images were obtained from an individual who underwent mandible reconstruction with a commercial plate and suffered from plate fracture by fatigue after 26 months. Compared to the commercial plate, the maximum von Mises equivalent stress was significantly lowered for the personalized prosthesis, hindering a possible fatigue fracture. The equivalent von Mises strains found in bone were within bone maintenance and remodeling intervals. This work introduces a design that doesn't require grafts for large bone defects and allows for dental prosthesis addition without the need for implants.