Tolerance of the facial bones to impact

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Hodgson, Voigt R.¹

Tolerance of the facial bones to impact

Am J Anat. 1967;120(1):113-122

Affiliations

¹Biomechanics Research Center, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
Abstract

A study of the tolerance of the facial bones to blunt impact has been conducted for the purpose of determining the mechanics and important parameters affecting fracture. Such information is urgently needed for the safe design of vehicles and protective equipment, and would serve a useful purpose as an aid in the diagnosis and treatment of facial injuries. Work to date has been concentrated around the zygomatic bone because of its amenability to mathematical analysis and susceptibility to damage due to its relative fragility and prominence. The force to fracture the bone has been found to be time dependent. For example, high forces up to 1,000 pounds can be tolerated for extremely short time durations of 3 milliseconds or less. Impacts lasting beyond 4 milliseconds produce fracture near 200 pounds. These figures are for a 1 inch square area, and it has been found that for impulses lasting longer than 4 milliseconds the tolerance of the zygomatic bone can be raised by a factor of 150 to 250% if the load is distributed over the entire bone. A linear fracture around one zygomatic bone has been found not to affect the structural integrity of the opposite side of the face, which fact has been very useful in comparing parameters on the same cadaver. In comparing the impact strength of three facial bones on each of four cadavers, the frontal bone has been found to tolerate a force three or four times higher than the mandible and zygomatic bone which are about equal.
Links

DOI: 10.1002/aja.1001200109

WoS: A19678889500008

Cited Works (2)

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Cited By (35)

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2015	Bass CR, Yoganandan N. Skull and facial bone injury biomechanics. In: Yoganandan N, Nahum AM, Melvin JW, eds. Accidental Injury: Biomechanics and Prevention. 3rd ed. New York: Springer; 2015:203-220.
1992	Yoganandan N, Pintar FA, Sances A Jr. Investigation of facial fracture tolerance to steering wheel impact. In: Proceedings of the 2nd Injury Prevention Through Biomechanics Symposium. April 10-11, 1992; Detroit, MI.117-122.
1994	Porta D, Kress T, Snider J, Fuller P, Russell R, Hudson J. Experimentally-induced frontal bone/facial fractures in human cadavers with a characterization of impact response. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 23-26, 1994; Munich, Germany.260-268.
1989	Clemo KC, Penoyre S, White MJ. Safer steering wheels to reduce face bone fractures. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 29–June 1, 1989; Göteborg, Sweden.275-287.
1989	Welbourne ER, Ramet M, Zarebski M. A comparison of human facial fracture tolerance with the performance of a surrogate test device. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 29–June 1, 1989; Göteborg, Sweden.603-607.
1989	Yoganandan N, Sances A Jr, Pintar F, Harris G, Larson SJ, Mnhadevappa M. Three-dimensional computerized tomography analysis of steering wheel induced facial trauma. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 29–June 1, 1989; Göteborg, Sweden.752-763.
1991	Yoganandan N, Sances A Jr, Pintar F, Reinartz J, Haffner M. Facial fracture probability secondary to steering wheel impact. In: Proceedings of the 13th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). November 4-7, 1991; Paris, France.891-901.
2002	Cormier JM, Stitzel JD, Duma SM, Hurst WJ, Porta DJ, Jones J. Predicting orbital fractures from baseball impact. In: Proceedings of the 30th International Workshop on Human Subjects for Biomechanical Research. November 2002; Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.219-227.
2007	Craig MJ, Bir CA, Viano DC. Jaw loading response of the human relative to current ATDs. In: Proceedings of the 35th International Workshop on Human Subjects for Biomechanical Research. 2007.71-84.
1973	Wiseman HAB, Davis JH, Jehu V. Engineering-medical analysis of fatal and non fatal head injuries of helmeted motorcycle victim. In: Proceedings of the 1973 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. June 26-27, 1973; Amsterdam, The Netherlands.345-354.
1988	Gallup BM, Hallgrimsson BH, Cotton CE, Smith TA, Newman JA, Dalmotas DJ. The development of an improved ATD headform with a frangible facial insert. In: Proceedings of the 1988 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 14-16, 1988; Bergisch-Gladbach, West Germany.327-343.
2012	Loyd AM, Nightingale RW, Song Y, Luck JF, Cutcliffe H, Myers BS, Bass CD. Impact properties of adult and ATD heads. In: Proceedings of the 2012 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 12-14, 2012; Dublin, Ireland.552-564.
1968	Nahum AM, Gatts JD, Gadd CW, Danforth J. Impact tolerance of the skull and face. In: Proceedings of the 12th Stapp Car Crash Conference. October 22-23, 1968; Detroit, MI. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:302-316. SAE 680785.
1968	Patrick LM, Van Kirk DJ, Nyquist GW. Vehicle accelerator crash simulator. In: Proceedings of the 12th Stapp Car Crash Conference. October 22-23, 1968; Detroit, MI. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:402-423. SAE 680791.
1968	Thomas LM, Sezgin Y, Hodgson VR, Cheng LK, Gurdjian ES. Static deformation and volume changes in the human skull. In: Proceedings of the 12th Stapp Car Crash Conference. October 22-23, 1968; Detroit, MI. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:260-270. SAE 680782.
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1970	Hodgson VR, Brinn J, Thomas LM, Greenberg SW. Fracture behavior of the skull frontal bone against cylindrical surfaces. In: Proceedings of the 14th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 17-18, 1970; Ann Arbor, MI. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:341-355. SAE 700909.
1971	Melvin JW, Evans FG. A strain energy approach to the mechanics of skull fracture. In: Proceedings of the 15th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 17-19, 1971; Coronado, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:666-685. SAE 710871.
1988	Allsop DL, Warner CY, Wille MG, Schneider DC, Nahum AM. Facial impact response: a comparison of the Hybrid III dummy and human cadaver. In: Proceedings of the 32nd Stapp Car Crash Conference. October 17-19, 1988; Atlanta, GA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:139-155. SAE 881719.
1994	Hopper RH Jr, McElhaney JH, Myers BS. Mandibular and basilar skull fracture tolerance. In: Proceedings of the 38th Stapp Car Crash Conference. October 31–November 2, 1994; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:123-131. SAE 942213.
1968	Currey JD. The effect of protection on the impact strength of rabbits’ bones. Acta Anat. 1968;71(1):87-93.
2004	Yoganandan N, Pintar FA. Biomechanics of temporo-parietal skull fracture. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). March 2004;19(3):225-239.
1970	Currey JD. The mechanical properties of bone. Clin Orthop Relat Res. November–December 1970;73:210-231.
1989	Viano DC, King AI, Melvin JW, Weber K. Injury biomechanics research: an essential element in the prevention of trauma. J Biomech. 1989;22(5):403-417.
1995	Yoganandan N, Pintar FA, Sances A Jr, Walsh PR, Ewing CL, Thomas DJ, Snyder RG. Biomechanics of skull fracture. J Neurotrauma. August 1995;12(4):659-668.
1978	Ashton SJ. Pedestrian Injuries and the Car Exterior [PhD thesis]. Birmingham, England: University of Birmingham; February 1978.
2023	Saenz N. Fracture Variations in Survivable Versus Fatal Craniofacial Blunt Force Trauma Associated With Intimate Partner Violence [Master's thesis]. Boston University; 2023.
2011	Loyd AM. Studies of the Human Head from Neonate to Adult: An Inertial, Geometrical and Structural Analysis With Comparisons to the ATD Head [PhD thesis]. Duke University; 2011.
2012	Karton C. The Effect of Inbound Mass on the Dynamic Response of the Hybrid III Headform and Brain Tissue Deformation [Master's thesis]. Ottawa, ON: University of Ottawa; November 2012.
2019	Karton C. Profiling Brain Trauma in Professional American-Style Football and the Implications to Developing Neurological Injury [PhD thesis]. Ottawa, ON: University of Ottawa; 2019.
2009	Cormier JM. Epidemiology and Biomechanical Analysis of Facial Fractures [PhD thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; February 6, 2009.
2005	Shah S. Skull Fracture Prediction Using Finite Element Model With Skull Thickness Variation [Master's thesis]. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University; 2005.
2007	Craig MJ. Biomechanics of Jaw Loading in Football Helmet Impacts [PhD thesis]. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University; 2007.
2008	Raymond DE. Biomechanics of Blunt Ballistic Temporo-Parietal Head Impact [PhD thesis]. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University; August 2008.
2023	Merko P. Mechanical Response of the Craniofacial Skeleton to Subfracture Impacts in the Time and Frequency Domains [Master's thesis]. University of Western Ontario; 2023.