The Effects of Drilling Parameters on Bone Temperatures: A Finite Element Simulation

The temperature rise during bone drilling provides a useful index for evaluating the risk of potential damage to the bone. This study uses a dynamic elastic-plastic finite element model to simulate the thermal contact behavior of a drill bit while drilling through bone. Simulations are performed to investigate the respective effects of the drilling speed and the applied force on the temperature rise induced within the bone. The results indicate that the temperature rise is reduced by a higher drilling speed and an increased applied force. Based on the numerical results, an empirical equation is proposed to estimate the peak bone temperature given the values of the applied force and the drilling speed. The maximum difference between the peak bone temperatures predicted by the proposed equation and the numerical model, respectively, is shown to be less than 3.5%.