Treatment of mandibular fractures in the 1980s

Treatment of 317 mandibular fracture patients between 1981 and 1990 at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital were analysed on the basis of patient files and radiographs. The patients had suffered altogether 452 mandibular fractures, most in the condylar region. The treatment was operative in 24% of cases and conservative in 76%. Operative treatment was commoner in edentulous than in partially edentulous or dentate patients. The proportion of operatively treated mandibular fractures increased toward the end of the period. The type of osteosynthesis also changed over the decade as wire and plate osteosynthesis gave way to compression plating and then to titanium miniplate and screw fixation of fractures. The advantages and disadvantages of the treatment methods are discussed and some typical cases using various modern fixation techniques are presented.