title: A comparative study of internal fixation and intermaxillary fixation on bone repair of mandibular fractures through radiographic subtraction.
abstract: Conventional radiographic evaluation of fracture healing is not a reliable method, because it depends on the examinator's experience and the quality of the exam. Therefore, serial images differing in density, contrast and geometrical projection can lead to a misdiagnosis on the postoperative fracture healing. Even in good quality images, little changes in calcified tissues often can't be visualized, because of its little sensibility and because of the limited human sight. The use of more sensitive and objective methods could increase the accuracy of this evaluation. This study intended to compare, by digitalized panoramic radiography, the mandible fracture healing after two different types of treatment: open reduction with internal fixation (group 1) and closed reduction with intermaxillary fixation (group 2). It was taken three postoperative radiographs (within a week, a month and three months after treatment), which were digitalized (600 dpi, 8 bits) and adjusted in brightness and size in Photoshop software. Then these images were evaluated by digital subtraction in ImageTool software. The results revealed greater areas of new bone formation in the internal fixation group, in all the evaluated times. Thus, open reduction with internal fixation resulted in more rapid fracture healing than closed reduction with intermaxillary fixation.
authors.affiliation: Dentistry School of the Federal University of Bahia, Department of Diagnostics and Therapeutics (Head: Marcel Lautenschlager Arriaga, PhD, MSc), Av. Araújo Pinho, 62, Canela, CEP 40.110-150 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Electronic address: chrqueiroz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Christiano Sampaio
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.affiliation: Dentistry School of the Federal University of Bahia, Department of Diagnostics and Therapeutics (Head: Marcel Lautenschlager Arriaga, PhD, MSc), Av. Araújo Pinho, 62, Canela, CEP 40.110-150 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Viviane Almeida
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Sarmento
authors.affiliation: Dentistry School of the Federal University of Bahia, Department of Diagnostics and Therapeutics (Head: Marcel Lautenschlager Arriaga, PhD, MSc), Av. Araújo Pinho, 62, Canela, CEP 40.110-150 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Almeida
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: de Azevedo
authors.affiliation: Dentistry School of the Federal University of Bahia, Department of Diagnostics and Therapeutics (Head: Marcel Lautenschlager Arriaga, PhD, MSc), Av. Araújo Pinho, 62, Canela, CEP 40.110-150 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thaís Feitosa Leitão
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Dentistry School of the Federal University of Bahia, Department of Diagnostics and Therapeutics (Head: Marcel Lautenschlager Arriaga, PhD, MSc), Av. Araújo Pinho, 62, Canela, CEP 40.110-150 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luana Costa
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Bastos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D019248:Jaw Fixation Techniques; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000379:methods; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000379:methods; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Fracture fixation, internal; Jaw fixation techniques; Mandibular fractures; Radiography, dental, digital; Subtraction technique