Treatment of mandibular angle fractures using the AO reconstruction plate

Fifty-two patients with fracture of the mandibular angle were treated by extraoral open reduction and internal fixation using the AO reconstruction bone plate (Synthes, Paoli, PA). None were placed into postsurgical maxillomandibular fixation. Four patients developed early infections requiring incision and drainage (7.5%). One patient required removal of the hardware after the fracture had healed. The use of the AO reconstruction bone plate for fractures of the mandibular angle was found to be very predictable and was associated with a low rate of complications.