Comparison Between Intermaxillary Fixation With Screws and an Arch Bar for Mandibular Fracture

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Trauma Surgery
• Biomaterials in Medicine

Background:

• Arch bar intermaxillary fixation (IMF) has been the standard for mandibular fracture management.
• Complications associated with arch bars have led to the development of alternative techniques.
• Intermaxillary fixation with screws presents a modified approach to managing mandibular fractures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the outcomes and complications of traditional arch bar IMF versus IMF with screws.
• To evaluate differences in malocclusion, surgical time, root injury, and fixation failure.
• To assess the efficacy of IMF screws as an alternative to arch bars for mandibular fractures.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 66 patients with mandibular fractures treated with either arch bar or IMF screws.
• Evaluation using preoperative and postoperative facial bone computed tomography and panoramic X-rays.
• Recording of patient complaints and complications through electronic medical records during follow-up.

Main Results:

• The overall complication rate was similar between the anchoring screw and arch bar fixation groups.
• Mean surgical time was significantly shorter in the anchoring screw group (111 minutes) compared to the arch bar group (157 minutes).
• A significant difference in operation time was observed even after accounting for the number of fracture sites (P=.009).

Conclusions:

• Intermaxillary fixation using IMF screw systems is a suitable alternative for mandibular fracture management.
• This technique can minimize overall operation time while maintaining a similar complication ratio to traditional methods.