Study of the influence of fatigue loads on durability of mandibular prostheses

Reconstructive age-specific processes considerably accelerated at pathological conditions permanently take places in the articular surfaces of the temporal-mandibular joint (TMJ). Posttraumatic mandibular defects, defects appearing after the resection of a mandible due to oncological diseases, congenital defects, and deformations of a mandible are referred to a number of pathologies requiring prosthetic repair. To increase effectiveness of the surgical procedure of treatment, deformation and strength characteristics of the elements of TMJ are investigated. Usually titanic plates of U-type profile are utilized for repairing TMJ. Prosthetic ruptures frequently occur during prosthetic repair practice due to long-term utilization. It is known that the destruction and the rupture of material can have a fatigue character. In this case the rupture occurs at alternate stresses smaller than the breaking point. We developed a device, which allows one to test the prosthetic fatigue properties. The adequacy of the processes of destruction of implanted prostheses and tested prostheses was shown. The examinations of prosthetic fatigue properties allow one to improve prostheses and to prolong their use.