title: The influence of third molars in the line of mandibular angle fractures on wound and bone healing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate postoperative complications after removal or retention of the third molar in the line of mandibular angle fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included the data of 98 patients with a molar in the line of a mandibular angle fracture treated with internal reduction and mini-plate fixation at our department over 9 years. Patients were classified into two groups: tooth removal during osteosynthesis (n = 45) and tooth retention (n = 55). The primary target criterion was the incidence of minor (outpatient treatment, local measures) and major (surgical revision, rehospitalisation) complications. Time between trauma and surgery was 1.4 days (range 0 to 12), and the average follow-up 291 days (range 66 to 863).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regarding the eruption status, 26 of 52 (50.0 %) impacted third molars, 11 of 19 (57.9 %) incompletely erupted and 8 of 27 (29.6 %) completely erupted molars had been removed during open reduction. Overall, 17 (17.3 %) patients had postoperative minor (n = 7) or major (n = 10) complications, in detail 10/45 (22.0 %) patients after tooth removal and 7/55 (13 %) patients after tooth retention (p = 0.286). Complication rates between impacted and incompletely erupted third molars (impacted molars 15.0 %, incompletely erupted molars 10.0 %) did not differ significantly, but completely erupted molars had a complication rate of 26.0 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mandibular angle fractures with a completely erupted third molar show the highest complication rate after open reduction and osteosynthesis. Retention of a non-infectious third molar facilitates open reduction and does not increase the complication risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study helps with the decision of removing or retention of a third molar during surgical treatment of a mandibular angle fracture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Regensburg University Medical Centre, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ulbrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Regensburg University Medical Centre, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany. tobias.ettl@klinik.uni-regensburg.de.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ettl
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Regensburg University Medical Centre, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Waiss
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nuremberg Hospital, Breslauer Straße 201, 90471, Nürnberg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gosau
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Regensburg University Medical Centre, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moralis
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Regensburg University Medical Centre, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Reichert
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Regensburg University Medical Centre, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Healing disorders; Infection; Mandibular angle fracture; Mini-plate osteosynthesis; Postoperative complication; Third molar