Mandibular angle fractures treated with a single miniplate without postoperative maxillomandibular fixation: A retrospective evaluation of 50 patients.

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study evaluated the use of a single miniplate for the treatment of mandibular angle fractures (MAF). METHODS: Fifty patients with 53 MAF were treated by open reduction and internal fixation with the use of a single miniplate and were analyzed in this study. RESULTS: Five patients with MAF had postoperative complications that required additional procedures. Three patients had postoperative infection, one patient complained of malocclusion in the first postoperative week, and one patient had miniplate exposure three months after surgery. Every additional procedure was performed in the office under local anesthesia without disruption of the initial fracture treatment. Postoperative maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) was performed in four patients. Treatment of MAF using a single miniplate was effective, with low morbidity and with low rates of postoperative complications. MAF can be treated without MMF, and stability is improved when long miniplates are used. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a single miniplate is therefore encouraged. However, postoperative MMF should be considered with the presence of little contact between bone segments, malocclusion, or extensive tooth loss.

Tomographic Analysis of the Impact of Mandibular Advancement Surgery on Increased Airway Volume.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to quantify, using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in patients who underwent a mandibular advancement surgery associated with genioplasty, three-dimensional changes in airway space and to evaluate whether these changes differ between men and women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative and 8-month postoperative CBCT scans of 38 patients aged 18-45 years of either sex and any ethnicity who underwent mandibular advancement surgery associated with genioplasty were analyzed using the Xoran software (Xoran Technologies, Ann Arbor, MI, USA). The linear distances gonion-gnathion (Go-Gn) and condylion-menton (Co-Me) were obtained. Airway volume was measured using the Dolphin Imaging software, version 11.0. Then, data were tabulated and analyzed using Student's t-test. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 30.3 years; 39.47% were men and 60.63% were women. The mean Go-Gn distance was 72.05 mm before surgery and 78.56 mm after surgery, with a mean gain of 6.51 mm. The mean Co-Me distance was 113.47 mm before surgery and 119.89 mm after surgery, with a mean increase of 6.42 mm. Both differences were statistically significant. The mean volume of airway space was 17,272.92 mm3 before surgery and 24,173.74 mm3 after surgery, with a statistically significant mean increase of 6900.82 mm3. There was no statistically significant difference in mean volumetric gain between men (7566.69 mm3) and women (7456.69 mm3). CONCLUSION: Mandibular advancement surgery results in significant increase of airway space, and there is no difference in airway volume between men and women.

Magnetic Field Effects on Bone Repair after Calcium Phosphate Cement Implants: Histometric and Biochemistry Evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: This work evaluated histologic and biochemically the effect of magnetic field buried in bone repair after autogenous bone graft and calcium phosphate cement implants. METHODOLOGY: Bone defects with 5,0 mm of diameter in the cranium of Wistar mice were used to analyse. These mice were submitted to different interventions: autogenous bone graft and calcium phosphate cement implants, both with and without magnetic stimulation. Longitudinal and transversal histometric and biochemistry analysis were made in times of 15, 30 and 60 post-operative days. RESULTS: The histometric transversal analysis did not show significant differences in the bone repair between groups. Longitudinally, significant difference were found in the quantity of neoformed bone between the times 15 and 60 post-operative days in the autogenous bone graft group under magnetic stimulation. The alkaline phosphatase enzyme presented a higher activity in 30 post-operative days and the groups under magnetic stimulation presented reduced enzymatic activity in comparison to the other groups. CONCLUSION: The permanent and static magnetic field promoted significant differences in the neoformed bone in the groups autogenous bone graft.