Concept design and stress evaluation on modular mini plate for complex fracture maxillofacial trauma

Complex fracture facial trauma is a condition when some part of the skull shattered into multiple pieces. Intricate fractured skull often deforms the suspect’s face, which damaging the aesthetic and the functionality of some part of the skull, or even the whole skull. The procedure to fix this condition uses mini plates in large parts of the procedure. Unfortunately, there is some condition when the existing mini plates can not handle the condition due to the fracture position and another obstacle like teeth root. The lack of mini plates that can adapt according to the obstacles makes the fixation is difficult. This study aims to develop modular mini plates that can adapt the fracture lines and the obstacles that exist in the patients. The method of this study is assembling the modular mini plates to determine the possible angle configuration using CAD software and determining the maximum load of each angle configuration using finite element analysis simulation software. The CAD software result concludes that the possible angle configuration using modular mini plates with 18 holes and pins varies from 40° to 320° with 20° interval (15 configurations). 0°, 20°, and 340° deemed not suitable because the model will collide with each other if using the angle as mentioned earlier configuration. The Von- Mises Stress of each configuration varies, with the maximum value is 535,03 MPa in 240° configuration and the minimum value is 461,26 MPa in 320° configuration with 10 N load configuration. This study concludes that the modular concept is applicable in some angle configuration.