Microscopic Assessment of Damage to Miniplates for Mandible Osteosynthesis

Degradation processes of implant materials have a significant effect on the reactions taking place around them. Processes related to mechanical wear, corrosion and tribological wear can be distinguished here. The phenomenon of fretting has a particularly significant impact on changes around the implant. Destruction of materials’ surface layers by fretting occurs in biomedical implants. Oxide formation was observed in the friction zone. Wear products remain in the area of contact, inside the fretting corrosion pit, until they accumulate in excess and leave the area of contact. In fretting, oxidation may be a factor protecting against wear, when a wear-resistant oxide layer forms on metal surfaces at high temperatures. The presence of NaCl in the tissue environment intensifies the progression of fretting corrosion.