[Causation, therapy and complications of treating mandibular fractures - a retrospective analysis of 10 years].
BACKGROUND
Fractures of the mandible are a common form of facial injury. The aetiological factors associated with mandibular fractures and the trends in these factors over a 10-year period are reported.


METHODS
A retrospective survey was carried out of 724 patients presenting with a fracture of the mandible over the 10-year-period 1994-2003. Patients; records were reviewed and analyzed according to age, sex, cause of injury, anatomic site of fracture, treatment and postoperative complications.


RESULTS
Over the 10-year-period the rate of mandibular fractures remained constant (mean 40,7%). There were no changes in the age group (mean 33,3 years) or in the higher prevalence in male (male-female-ratio 2,3 : 1). The major causes of fractures were assaults (38,6%) and accidental fall (27,3%). The most common fracture site was the condylar region (47,0%) followed by the angle (29,4%). Most fractures were treated by closed reduction until 2002, thereafter surgical treatment increased noticeable. The complication rate was 8,9% and the most common complications were hardware exposure and infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Fractures of the mandible are a prevalent form of facial injury. Aetiological factors show no significant change over the 10-year-period. Complication-rate is low and will support the tendency towards surgical treatment.
Depprich
R
R
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Klinik für Kiefer- und Plastische Gesichtschirurgie, Düsseldorf, Germany. depprich@med.uni-duesseldorf.de
Handschel
J
J
Hornung
J
J
Meyer
U
U
Kübler
N R
NR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000639:trends*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies