The Application of Medical Titanium Nails in Plastic Surgery

The non-toxic and non-magnetic properties of titanium, the similar elastic modulus of titanium alloys to that of human bones, and their excellent compatibility with the human body make it known as "biological metal". Titanium is also an important member of the memory alloy family. Nickel-titanium alloy is the earliest alloy discovered to have memory properties. This alloy can "remember" its original shape and, after being deformed by external force, can "revert to its original state" when exposed to the corresponding temperature. Moreover, due to the presence of titanium, its strength is also very high. Therefore, this alloy has become the most widely used memory alloy and is still one of the best shape-memory alloys in terms of performance to this day. Using titanium plates and screws to treat fractures has unexpected effects. After a few months, new bone and muscles will fuse with the titanium plate. Therefore, titanium is an ideal material for dental implants and artificial joints in the human body.

Facial contouring surgery mainly includes two concepts: one is simple cheekbone resection to reduce the outer contour of the cheekbone; the other is three-dimensional osteotomy, which achieves cheekbone reduction through the shortening and movement of bone blocks. Cheekbone resection surgery is generally suitable for patients with prominent facial anterior lateral areas and is often performed through an intraoral incision. The bone membrane is separated and exposed under the periosteum to expose the cheekbone. Special instruments are used to remove and thin the part of the cheekbone that was designed to be removed before the operation, thereby reducing the facial outer contour and improving the facial shape. The use of titanium nails and titanium plates for fixation is to prevent the cheekbone from sliding, causing facial contour deformation, and to achieve better cheekbone shaping effects!

The greatest advantage of this surgery is that it leaves no scars, is seamless, and leaves no traces. However, the surgical difficulty of three-dimensional osteotomy of the cheekbone has greatly increased, making it suitable for patients with prominent cheekbone arches. In addition to intraoral incisions, auxiliary incisions are usually made in hidden areas within the hairline or single coronal incisions within the scalp. After exposing the entire cheekbone under the periosteum, specific-sized bone blocks are cut according to the computer three-dimensional simulation design requirements, and then the separated bone blocks are reconnected and shaped using special materials such as titanium nails, etc., so as to maximize the change of the entire facial contour and facial shape, and even allow patients to achieve a "transformational" effect. In addition to cheekbone reduction surgery, for a small number of patients with congenital or acquired diseases causing abnormal or missing cheekbones and resulting in local depression in the mid-face area, or bilateral asymmetry of the cheekbones, cheekbone augmentation surgery using autologous tissue transplantation or artificial material filling can be performed to improve the appearance.