Mechanical and microstructural properties of fixation systems used in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to evaluate in vitro the mechanical and microstructural properties of internal fixation systems used in oral and maxillofacial surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four brands of internal fixation systems (screws and 4-hole straight plates) were selected and assigned to four groups: G1 Leibinger®, G2 Tóride®, G3 Engimplan®, and G4 Medartis®. The systems were submitted to Vickers hardness testing, metallographic and interstitial elements chemical composition analyses. Data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Plates in groups 1, 2, and 3 showed similar microstructure and mechanical properties, different from those in G4 revealing larger grains. In all groups, the screws showed similar microstructure, with uniform arrangement and size of grains; the screws showed higher hardness values than those observed for the plates. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that all materials tested are adequate for use in oral maxillofacial surgeries.