Mechanical Characterization of 3D-Printed Individualized Ti-Mesh (Membrane) for Alveolar Bone Defects.

Liyun Bai,Hui Gao,Chao Wang,Linlin Li,Xian Li,Ping Ji

doi:10.1155/2019/4231872

Abstract

Individualized titanium mesh holds many advantages over conventional mesh. There are few reports in the literature about the effect of mesh pore size and mesh thickness on the mechanical properties of titanium mesh. This study is designed to develop an individualized titanium mesh using computer-assisted design and additive manufacturing technology. This study will also explore the effect of different thicknesses and pore sizes of titanium mesh on its mechanical properties through 3D FEA. According to this study, the mechanical properties of titanium mesh increased when the thickness decreased (0.5 mm to 0.3 mm). With an increase in mesh diameter (3 mm to 5 mm), the mechanical properties of mesh decreased. The diameter of titanium mesh has less influence on its mechanical properties than does the thickness of the mesh. Titanium mesh with a thickness of 0.4 mm is strong enough and causes less stimulation to mucosa; therefore, it is more suitable for clinical use. In addition, parameters of titanium mesh should be decided clinically according to bone defect size, defect location, and force situation.

Highlights

Adequate bone volume in both horizontal and vertical dimensions plays a vital role in achieving long-term aesthetic and functional results in implant dentistry [1]
GBR is one of the most utilized methods, which uses a barrier membrane to isolate the growth of soft tissue while promoting the priority of bone tissue growth [4]. e area with the bone defect is filled with an autologous bone or bone compensatory material
A proper thickness and pore size must be balanced with the likelihood of irritation when using Ti-mesh. e usual available thicknesses of titanium mesh range from 0.1 to 0.6 mm and have no uniform specifications, neither does the pore size [17,18,19,20,21,22,23]. e thickness and pore size of titanium mesh could influence the amount of new bone generated beneath the mesh; careful selection of the appropriate pore size and thickness can play a critical role in isolating the growth of soft tissue and promoting bone tissue growth. e purpose of this study was to design an individualized titanium mesh and to explore the effect of titanium mesh with different thicknesses and pore sizes on its mechanical properties

Summary

Introduction

Adequate bone volume in both horizontal and vertical dimensions plays a vital role in achieving long-term aesthetic and functional results in implant dentistry [1]. Personalized titanium mesh manufactured by digital modelling and 3D printing technology can enable optimal fit between the mesh and the anatomical shape of the alveolar bone. It can reconstruct the 3D volume and position of the bone accurately and allow the operation to be planned in advance. E thickness and pore size of titanium mesh could influence the amount of new bone generated beneath the mesh; careful selection of the appropriate pore size and thickness can play a critical role in isolating the growth of soft tissue and promoting bone tissue growth. We have designed and manufactured a customized titanium mesh based on computerized tomography (CT) of individual patients. e designed titanium mesh with different diameters and thicknesses were explored based on their mechanical strength through a three-point bending test and FEA

Materials and Methods

Individual Titanium Mesh FEA

Results