Treatment of mandibular fractures. Need for rigid internal fixation.

The treatment of 200 mandibular fractures was evaluated retrospectively with special reference to the need for rigid internal fixation (AO-plating), as indicated by the ASIF organization. It was shown that the treatment was most typically intermaxillary fixation (50%) followed by Gunning-type splints (17%), wire (16%) and plate (6%) osteosynthesis, while 11% received no active treatment. Complications during splinting were most common among patients treated by osteosynthesis via an extra-oral approach. Most of the fractures (73%) were estimated to be anatomically suitable for AO-plating. One fifth (22%) had relative indications for the use of rigid internal fixation, and 59% had absolute indications, mostly due to simultaneous condylar and corpus (body) fractures or due to fractures in the angle region.