Comparison of Conventional Versus Right Angled Fixation Technique in Management of Mandibular Angle Fractures - A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study.

PURPOSE: The treatment of mandibular angle fractures ranges from observation to closed reduction with maxillomandibular fixation to open reduction and internal fixation. The study aims to compare the effectiveness of three different techniques (transoral, transbuccal, and right-angled fixation technique) for single adaptational monocortical upper border plating in mandibular angle fracture.

METHODS: The study conducted at our center was a prospective randomized study. The study duration was from November 2019 to August 2021. The three groups included in our study were transoral, transbuccal, and transoral approach using the right-angled drill. Patients who required open reduction and internal fixation of mandibular angle fracture were included in the study. Computer-generated randomization method was used to allot the participants in any of the three groups, ie, transoral, transbuccal, or right-angled fixation technique. The primary outcome clinical variables were mouth opening (MO), occlusion stability, scar or laceration, facial nerve weakness, infection, and the radiological variables were gap between the fracture segments and displacement of the fracture segment. The secondary outcome of our study is a comparison of the perioperative complications including plate exposure during the entire fracture healing period. The covariates of the study were age, sex, etiology, and tooth in line of fracture. Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA, post hoc Tukey test, and Pearson χ2 test. A P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: A total of 48 patients were included in our study. According to randomization, each group was allotted 16 patients. In the study, 66.7% of the study population were male and 33.3% were female; 75% of the study population were victims of road traffic accidents, and 25% were injured due to assault. The mean and standard deviation for MO at 1 month were 31.3 ± 2.9 for the transoral group, 35.8 ± 1.7 for the transbuccal group, and 35.5 ± 1.3 for the right-angled fixation group. On intergroup comparison, statistically significant results were seen at the 1-month postoperative MO clinical parameter. The P value here was 0.02 which was statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: The comparison of the right-angled fixation technique to transoral and transbuccal fixation methods have not been documented. Our study is the first of its kind to compare the right-angled fixation technique to various other approaches. Our study showed that the MO was better postoperatively with the transbuccal approach. The other variables showed no difference among the three techniques.