Complications of treatment of mandibular fractures with compression plates

A total of 320 mandibular fractures with maxillomandibular fixation under local anesthesia were treated in this study. From this group, 244 fractures were treated with compression osteosynthesis. The complication rate was 13%; several patients had more than one complication. The complication rate decreased with the increase of operator experience. Malunions were recorded in 3.6% of the cases (1% in single and 7.5% in multiple fractures). Comminution, delay in treatment, and gross displacement were some of the factors related to malunion. The infection rate varied from 1% for those treated within the first week to 4% for those treated after at-least 2 weeks after the accident. Except for the delay in treatment, poor local conditions were a predisposing factor for infection. No infection was recorded in cases treated intraorally.