Mandibular Angle Fractures with Teeth in the Line of Fracture : Clinical evaluation of mandibular angle fractures treated with stable internal fixation using locking miniplates

The present study was carried out to clinically evaluate mandibular angle fractures with teeth present in fracture line treated with stable internal fixation using locking miniplates. Based on this study the incidence of postoperative complications was comparatively less in retained cases, but individual decision must be made in every case, whether to retain or extract the tooth involved in line of mandibular angle fracture. Of the 20 cases 5(25%) had developed complications. The proportion of cases which developed complications was found to be statistically significant (P>0.05). The use of locking miniplates obviously has the advantages of not allowing the stripping of screws and prevented movement and loosening of screws. Since the plate did not have to be as precisely adapted to the underlying bone and indeed did not have to be compressed against the bone for stability, the bending of the plates is simplified. Dislocation following osteosynthesis is minimized or eliminated; there is less interference with underlying vascular supply. However similar type of studies in the future with larger sample size can be done to evaluate the efficacy of this method.