Superelasticity of NiTi Ring-Shaped Springs Induced by Aging for Cranioplasty Applications

This paper concerns the application of titanium-nickel rings in modeling the cranium. After being fixed to the osseous margins, the ring’s expansion at the same time broadens and shortens the cranium vault. The rings formed from a straight superelastic wire, flattened to an ellipse, do not show the presence of a typical force plateau but rather a pseudoelastic loop during loading-unloading in the relationship between the force and the deflection. Based on the idea that superelasticity in more complex shape-springs may be induced by the precipitation hardening process, the further studies were carried out on alloys with higher nickel contents (51.06 at.% Ni). The rings that had been formed were welded and aged at an optimal temperature and time. The improved superelastic behavior during compression and unloading the rings was obtained by introducing small deformation by drawing the quenched wires before forming the rings and aging. Very positive clinical reshaping by long-term distraction with the superelastic ring-shaped springs was achieved in young children under one year and a less spectacular effect was observed in the group of older children.