title: Radiodensitometric study of resorption in the site of mandibular fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The area of bone resorption resulting from a fracture varies widely. This study was performed to determine the magnitude of this area in mandibular fractures by means of quantitative radiodensitometry and to determine the influence of the kind of treatment applied, location of fracture, and the age and sex of the patient on this zone.
  
  
  METHODS
  In successive panoramic radiographs after mandibular fracture (postoperatively and at 15, 30, 60, and 90 days), optical density changes occurring in the region of the fracture were analyzed. An area of 2 cm on each side of the fracture was studied, divided into 31 concentric regions of equal size (4 pixels thick).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The magnitude of the area of necrosis in mandibular fractures is 7.7 mm in cases treated by maxillomandibular fixation and 5.8 mm in those cases treated with rigid internal fixation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The area of resorption in mandibular fractures is determined, in part, by the type of treatment used and the location of the fracture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital Central of Asturias, Spain.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Villarreal
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Junquera
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Vicente
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001861:Bone Regeneration; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors