A Comparative Study between Three-Dimensional Bone Plates and Mini Plates in the Management of Maxillofacial Fractures
Abstract
Introduction: Techniques for managing fractures in the facial and jaw area continue to evolve. However, open reduction and internal fixation are still the gold standard of treatment, utilizing various plate systems. In recent years, there has been a shift towards semi-rigid fixation over rigid fixation, aided for decades by traditional mini plates. The advancement in three-dimensional bone plates has now achieved semi-rigid fixation with minimal complications.
Study Objective: The objective was to study the effectiveness of three-dimensional bone plates and compare them with mini plates in managing maxillofacial fractures by investigating the ease of adaptation and application of these plates, as well as the postoperative complications such as infection, wound dehiscence, and mouth opening limitation.
Materials and Methods: A controlled clinical study was conducted involving 20 patients with lower jaw fractures divided into two groups. The first group comprised 10 patients treated with three-dimensional bone plates for fixation, while the second group included 10 patients treated with mini plates. The effectiveness of three-dimensional bone plates compared to mini plates was evaluated using criteria including ease of plate adaptation, application, infection rate, wound dehiscence, mouth opening, occlusion, stability of fractured pieces, occurrence of nerve injuries or plate/screw failure, non-union, or malunion.
Results: There was a statistically significant superiority in the first group regarding ease of plate adaptation and mouth opening. An increase in mouth opening was observed in patients of the three-dimensional bone plates group after surgery. Occlusion was adequate postoperatively in both groups. No instances of plate/screw failure, non-union, or malunion were observed in either group.
Conclusions: Our study concluded that three-dimensional bone plates can be successfully used for fixing lower jaw fractures. The design of three-dimensional bone plates ensures easier adaptation to bone, reducing surgical time. Postoperative complications were minimal in the three-dimensional bone plates group. Therefore, three-dimensional bone plates are considered an easy alternative compared to mini plates. However, a longer study with a larger sample size can shed more light on the subject.
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