title: A meta-analysis comparing the 2.0-mm locking plate system with the 2.0-mm nonlocking plate system in treatment of mandible fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of the 2.0-mm locking miniplate/screw system in comparison with the 2.0-mm nonlocking miniplate/screw system in treatment of mandible fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles published until March 2013 were searched in the PubMed and EMBASE electronic databases. Eligible studies were restricted to comparative controlled trials.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four studies with 220 patients and 420 fracture sites were enrolled into the analysis. The results showed that there were no significant differences in overall complications (odds ratio [OR], 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24-1.36; P = 0.21), postoperative infection (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.13-1.41, P = 0.17), and postoperative pain (P > 0.05) when comparing 2.0-mm locking miniplates with 2.0-mm nonlocking miniplates in treating mandible fractures. However, the use of 2.0-mm locking miniplates had a lower postoperative maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) rate than the use of 2.0-mm nonlocking miniplates (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.08-0.41; P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mandible fractures treated with 2.0-mm locking miniplates and nonlocking 2.0-mm miniplates present similar short-term complication rates, and the low postoperative maxillomandibular fixation rate of using 2.0-mm locking miniplates also indicates that the 2.0-mm locking miniplate has a promising application in treatment of mandibular fractures.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, People's Hospital of Lishui, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Shilong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Yinhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jianqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D001860:Bone Plates / Q000009:adverse effects; D001863:Bone Screws / Q000009:adverse effects; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D019248:Jaw Fixation Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology