title: Correlation of plates' number with complications of osteosynthesis in mandibular fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the correlation of the miniplates' number used for fixation of single-compound symphyseal and parasymphyseal fractures with the osteosynthesis complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred eighty-five patients having miniplate osteosynthesis complications participated in this study. They were classified into 3 groups according to the number of miniplates used for the fixation of the fractured segments. The first group included patients having 2 miniplates, whereas the second and third groups included patients having 4 miniplates and more than 4 miniplates, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main osteosynthesis complications were malocclusion (32%) infection with an extraoral fistula (21%), wound dehiscence with intraoral exposure of the miniplates (17%), and combination of these (13%). Lower lip affection and intraoral bone exposure were 11% and 6%, respectively. Malocclusion was the most common complication in each group and showed the highest rate (62%) in the first group. Infection with extraoral fistula was found in all groups, with the highest rate (27%) in the first group. Wound dehiscence with intraoral exposure of the miniplates was present in the 3 groups, and the third group had the highest rate (19%). The second and third groups had equal rates of lower lip affection, numbness or weakness, (12%) and intraoral bone exposure (7%). In addition, they had combined complications in rates of 16% and 13%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of 2 miniplates for the fixation of single-compound symphyseal and parasymphyseal fractures is quite enough to avoid osteosynthesis complications such as wound dehiscence, bone or plate exposure, and lower lip affection.
authors.affiliation: From the Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Cairo University, and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Alharm Hospital, Ministry of Health, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Emad T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Daif
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001860:Bone Plates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017577:Cutaneous Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000209:etiology; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000209:etiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult