RESUMO
PURPOSE: The intraoral approach for placement of fixation plates for treatment of mandibular fracture has several advantages over the extraoral approach, including lower morbidity and avoidance of nerve VII injury. If this method were shown to be effective in contributing to a low percentage of postoperative complications, especially infection, nonunion, and need for plate removal, this would be a method of choice in treatment of such injuries, especially in dark-skinned or keloid-forming patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 337 fractures of the angle, body, and parasymphyseal regions of the mandible treated at St Barnabas Hospital (Bronx, NY), a level I trauma center, from 2001 to 2006. RESULTS: The percentage of such complications was 1%. CONCLUSION: This method is very useful in the treatment of these injuries.
