Risk factors contributing to symptomatic plate removal following sagittal split osteotomy.

The records of 80 consecutive patients (160 plates) undergoing orthognathic surgery over a 2-year period were analysed to assess the percentage of plate removal from the mandible following sagittal split osteotomy. Factors considered in the study included age, sex, duration of operation, antibiotic prophylaxis regimen, general medical condition, smoking habits, mandibular moves, extraction of 3rd molars at time of surgery and the favourability of the mandibular splits. Infection was the sole reason for plate removal in this study. A removal rate of 15.6% was noted. Age and duration of operation were the only 2 statistically significant factors to affect plate removal whilst some of the other factors showed increased odds ratios but were not statistically significant.