Biomechanical support for operations in maxillofacial surgery with use of MIMICS and ANSYS programs

Abstract

The purpose of the present work was to demonstrate abilities of the MIMICS-ANSYS complex in analysis of mechanical properties of osseous and soft tissues for reconstruction of the lower jaw (LJ) in patients. As materials and methods, a complex of computer programs MIMICS-ANSYS was used. After segmentation of LJ and optimization of the superficial grid a 3D object is exported to ANSYS for generating a three-dimensional grid, the latter being loaded to MIMICS again in order to prescribe materials, i.e., to provide each finite element with concrete mechanical properties. As a result, the stress-strained state of LJ in patients was assessed in different conditions of loading, which modelled processes of food biting off and chewing. In designed cases, areas of stress concentration were revealed and displacement fields plotted. Working and injuring (admissible) stresses were compared. Effectiveness of the СТ/CAD/CAM/CAE system was determined for biomechanical support of operations in maxillofacial surgery with a concrete realization of the abilities, built in MIMICS-ANSYS programs.