[A clinical investigation on miniplate fixation as tension band for mandibular angle fracture].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical application of miniplate as tension-band in fixation of mandibular angle fractures.


METHODS
The miniplate fixation as tension-band was used in 27 cases and 28 sites of mandibular angle fracture, another 19 cases of mandibular angle fracture involving 20 sites were fixed at the lower border by using universal plate(14 sites), compression plate(4 sites) and double miniplate(2 sites). The tension-band fixation group contained: unfavorable fracture line 82%, serious displacement 25%, extraction of tooth simultaneously at reduction 55%. In lower border fixation group, there were 95% of patients with unfavorable fracture line, 85% had serious displacement, and 33% had tooth removed. The follow-up rate was 89% with a mean period of 36 weeks in the tension-band group and 79% with a mean period of 31 weeks in lower border group.


RESULTS
Infection occurred in 10.71% of tension-band group and 5% of lower border group, and mild malocclusion appeared in 7.4% and 5.26% respectively. Additionally, 21.43% of the tension-band group had a healing gap at lower border.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of miniplate for the tension-band fixation is effective for the favorable and slightly displaced mandibular angle fractures, the augmentation of fixation at lower border was necessary for unfavorable and seriously displaced fractures.
Zhang
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Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, Beijing Medical University, Beijing 100081, China.
D000328:Adult; D001860:Bone Plates; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008953:Models, Anatomic