POST OPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS IN MANDIBULAR FRACTURE MANAGMENT COMPARISON OF THREE DIFFERENT TREATMENT MODALITIES

Complications in Mandibular Fracture Management

Abstract

Objective: To compare the post-operative complications for mandibular fractures with three different treatment options i.e. miniplate fixation without maxillomandibular fixation (MMF), maxillomandibular fixation exclusively and maxillomandibular fixation with non-rigid fixation.
Study Design: Randomized controlled trial (RCT).
Place and Duration of Study: Oral and maxillofacial surgery department, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Rawalpindi, Pakistan from February 2007 to January 2008.
Subjects and Methods: The study was carried out over a period of one year on 90 patients with mandibular fractures. They were randomly divided into three equal groups for three treatment options. At different levels of their post-operative visit, these patients were evaluated for post-operative complications. Data were entered and analyzed in SPSS version 10.
Results: Patients treated by MMF had fewer complications, 3 (10%) as compared to patients treated by miniplate without MMF or non-rigid fixation with MMF, 16.7% (5) in each group. Statistically difference was not significant (p-value =0.138).
Conclusion: The occurrence of post-operative complications in the treatment of mandibular fractures is fundamentally related to the severity of the fracture rather than the type of treatment used.