Objectives. The purpose of this analytical study was to examine and critique the engineering foundations of commonly accepted\nbiomechanical principles of mandible fracture repair. Materials and Methods. Basic principles of static equilibrium were applied\nto intact and plated mandibles, but instead of the traditional lever forces, the mandibles were subjected to more realistic occlusal\nforces. Results. These loading conditions produced stress distributions within the intact mandible that were very different and more\ncomplex than the customary lever-based gradient. The analyses also demonstrated the entirely different mechanical environments\nwithin intact and plated mandibles. Conclusions. Because the loading and geometry of the lever-idealized mandible is incomplete,\nthe associated widely accepted bone stress distribution (tension on top and compression on the bottom) should not be assumed.\nFurthermore, the stress gradients within the bone of an intact mandible should not be extrapolated to the mechanical environment\nwithin the plated regions of a fractured mandible.
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