The implications of this exploratory study for the current understanding of chasmosaurine biology are quite broad. First, it shows that horn locking behavior was physically possible in Triceratops, although it does not prove that it actually happened. Second, this work places limits upon the fighting techniques of these animals. Only a limited range of horn locking positions was feasible for the models used in this study. Presumably the positions vary slightly between individuals, depending on horn size, orientation, and the length of a hypothetical keratinous sheath. Additional work with models possessing other horn configurations could further elucidate this hypothesis. This study also posits pathologic "hot zones," the cranial areas where traumatic injuries could be expected. Traditionally, nearly all ceratopsid cranial abnormalities are attributed to injuries incurred during fighting. A careful analysis of all "pathological" specimens is needed to confirm or refute this paradigm.
Finally, this study lays groundwork for future biomechanical studies of the ceratopsid skull, by suggesting the orientation and location of forces acting upon the horncores. These forces may have had a great influence on ceratopsid skull evolution, particularly the development of the frontal sinus complex overlying the braincase and underlying the horns. However, the horns are only one part of the ceratopsid skull, and any future work must consider the skull as a functional whole.
Clearly, the scientific understanding of ceratopsid skull function and evolution is in its earliest stages. With both new and old modeling techniques, our understanding of ceratopsid biology may move from the realm of informed speculation to rigorous hypothesis testing.