Teeth in the Line of Mandibular Fractures

Abstract

D Nickerson, D McPhalen. Teeth in the line of mandibular fractures. Can J Plast Surg 1994;2(3):113-116. This study considers 710 mandibular fractures occurring in 546 patients over a five-year period and notes the fate of 114 teeth involved in the line of 104 of these fractures. Analysis of retention versus removal of teeth in the fracture line and any associated infection was undertaken. Overall, 15.5% of cases that involved retained teeth became infected, as compared with 7.1% of cases in which a tooth was extracted from the fracture site. for third molars, the teeth most commonly involved in mandibular fractures, infection was associated with 20.5% of retained teeth and 10% of cases where teeth were extracted from the fracture site. These data support careful consideration of a tooth's disposition before a decision regarding retention or extraction is made. Furthermore, they suggest that even in the absence of a grossly evident risk factor for infection, such as a fractured tooth, the tooth itself may inherently predispose to infection if retained. Infection rates were higher for retained teeth regardless of whether open reduction with rigid internal fixation or closed reduction with maxillomandibular fixation was used.