Introduction

Abstract

From the observation by Danis that bone healing was promoted by stabilization, even in the presence of compression, instrumentation and hardware were developed to allow functionally stable internal fixation by AO/ASIF pioneers All-göwer, Müller, Schneider, and Willenegger, and were introduced to the field of orthopedics in the 1950s.¹ The maxillofacial surgeons were exposed to these fixation concepts as a result of their close cooperation with the orthopedic surgeons and traumatologists over 30 years ago. Within the AO Group, this was seized and further adapted into the field of maxillofacial surgery by Spiessl and Schilli among others, who performed a series of clinical and laboratory research experiences that dealt with biomechanical and metallurgical problems, resulting in the development of a variety of stainless steel implants to provide stable internal fixation of the mandible. These implants provided rigid internal fixation of fracture and osteotomy segments via absolute stability supplemented by compression. The introduction of a reconstruction plate allowed for the bridging of defects. In his textbooks New Concepts in Maxillofacial Bone Surgery (1976) and Internal Fixation of the Mandible: A Manual of AO/ASIF Techniques (1989), Spiessl documented this development.^2,3