title: Prognosis of teeth in the line of mandibular fractures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate teeth involved in the line of fracture, clinically and radiographically, and their associated complications so as to indicate if they should be managed conservatively or extracted.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from patients records treated of mandibular fractures. It was included pre and postoperative panoramic radiographs, information such as demographic data, age, and sex, fracture location, mobility, and vitality of teeth in the line of fracture, teeth stabilizing the fracture segment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample presented 25 patients with teeth in the line of mandibular fractures. A total of 16 patients teeth in the line of fracture were vital during the 6(th) week postoperative follow-up and 9 patients with their teeth in the line of fracture were nonvital of which 4 were endodontically treated and the rest 5 patients teeth in the line of fracture were extracted as they showed signs of infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that the presence of teeth in the line of fracture is not a limiting factor for the treatment. Despite the risk of complications, tooth in the fracture line should be preserved for its merits. A regular clinical and radiological follow-up should be mandatory for at least a period of 1 year.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, BCDS, Jatkhedi, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: P Prasanna
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rama Dental College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Sridhar
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Vananchal Dental College & Hospital, Farathiyagarhwa, Jharkhand, India.
authors.forename: Ramaiah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palle
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rama Dental College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Nishanth
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, S. L. Dental College, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Vijay Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Singamaneni
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontic, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Dental Sciences, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Panchineni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rajesh
keywords: Fracture line; mandibular fracture; tooth mobility; tooth vitality