Relationship of substance abuse to complications with mandibular fractures

This retrospective study analyzed the relationship between complications and substance abuse following mandibular fracture. Over a 2-year period, the records of 352 patients with 589 mandibular fractures were reviewed for methods of treatment and other variables, including chronic abuse of drugs. An overall complication rate of 18.5% was found. Positive associations between complications and chronic abuse of alcohol and nonintravenous and intravenous drugs were found. Intravenous drug abusers had a 30%, nonintravenous drug abusers had a 19%, and chronic alcohol abusers had a 15.5% incidence of complications. Those individuals who did not use any drug chronically had a 6.2% complication rate. The results of this study show that chronic substance abuse can significantly affect treatment outcomes for management of mandibular fractures.