The effect of laser etching on the load carrying capacities of the Christensen temporomandibular joint implant

Laser etching is often used to identify the manufacturer and the production lot number of medical implants. This study investigated if a such laser etching may act as a site for stress concentration and thus reduce the mechanical strength of such implants. We tested the bending strength of the condylar components of R.W. Christensen's (1972) temporomandibular joint (TMJ) prosthesis with and without laser etchings. The normalized stiffness and the yield strength of the laser-etched implants did not differ significantly from the properties of un-etched implants. Our results suggest that laser etching of these implants does not adversely affect the mechanical performance of TMJ implants.