Mechanical behavior of mandibular continuity defects reconstructed using combinations of hydroxylapatite and autogenous bone

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to determine the mechanical behavior of primate ( Macaca mulatta ) mandibles with continuity defects reconstructed using varying ratios of an alloplastic hydroxylapatite (HA) implant material mixed with autogenous bone (AB). The defects were allowed to heal for 6 and 18 months before killing the animals and mechanical testing. Each animal had one side of the mandible restored with 100% AB as control. The fracture strength and section modulus of the opposite side of the mandible, containing the test ratio of HA-AB, were directly compared with the mechanical behavior of the control side. The fracture strength and section modulus were evaluated by a cantilever type of mechanical test that took into account the anisotropic, viscoelastic, and geometric nature of the mandible. The type of bone and tissue at the fracture site was examined by scanning electron microscopy and a direct correlation between the amount of bone and/or fibrous tissue growth around the HA implant material and the fracture strength and section modulus values was established. The average fracture strength of the AB graft sites at 18 months was 9,975 ± 4,300 psi, with ratios of 25:75 and 50:50 HA-AB giving test results approaching those of the AB graft sites.