Drilling of Bone: Effect of Drill Bit Clearance on Thermal Damage

Bone drilling is a procedure in medical fields such as orthopedics, dentistry, and otology for installing screws and implants. However, it generates excess heat that can harm bone cells and jeopardize the stability of the implants. To address this issue, this research assesses the effect of the clearance part—on the drill body—on maximum temperature elevation during bone drilling. The research involves simulating bone drilling surgeries using DEFORM-3D, a commercial finite element software, and validating the results with physical experiments. The study examines drill bit clearances ranging from 0.05 to 0.25 mm, showing that larger clearances lead to more significant temperature increases in the bone, exceeding 20%. These experimental findings align closely with the simulations, demonstrating minor errors between 1.75 and 4.47%. This research sets the stage for future design optimization of the existing surgical drill to reduce thermal injury in these medical procedures.