Comparative Study of Outcomes Between Locking Plates and Three-dimensional Plates in Mandibular Fractures

Objectives: The objective was to compare the efficiency and assess postoperative complications of 2.00 mm unicortical locking plates and three-dimensional (3D) plates in surgical correction of uncomplicated mandibular fracture.

Materials And Methods: A prospective cohort study of twenty patients of uncomplicated mandibular fractures, who were operated either by noncompression unicortical 2-mm locking mini-plate or by noncompression unicortical 2-mm 3D mini-plate, were enrolled and followed up for the study outcomes such as operative time, postoperative infection, and postoperative occlusion.

Results: Majority of the patients (90%) were male who had road traffic accident. In 80% of cases, mandibular fracture site was parasymphysis. The mean operating time for 3D plates (43.20 min) was significantly lower than that for locking plates (54.82 min), < 0.001. All cases operated by 3D plates compared to 60% by locking mini-plates did not need intermaxillary fixation, = 0.025. The 80% of cases operated by 3D plates did not require postoperative occlusion correction compared to 30% in another group, = 0.01. For other parameters such as postoperative sensory disturbance, postoperative infection, incidence tooth damage, vertical displacement of mandible, feeling of plate after platting, and chewing efficiency after 1 week, there were no statistical significant differences between the two groups.

Conclusions: The outcome of 2.0mm 3D mini-plate is better in terms of operating time required, post-operative need of intermaxillary fixation and occlusal correction. While the outcome is similar to the use of non-compression unicortical 2.00mm locking miniplate in parameters like infection rate and incidence of tooth damage etc.