Clinical Experience with Poly-L/DL-Lactide 90/10 Absorbable Plates for Mandibular Fracture Fixation

Abstract

Background: Titanium plate fixation is still the standard treatment for mandibular fracture. The major drawback concerned by patients is the need of secondary operation for removing plates due to its non-degradable property. In contrast, the absorbable plate can be degraded gradually after the fracture is healed. However, the absorbable plate was mainly applied in non-loading areas such as mid-facial or zygomatic fixation in the past. The application of absorbable plate in load-bearing mandible fracture is still controversial due to its lower strength than titanium plate. Aim and objectives: The aim and objectives of this study is to evaluate whether absorbable plates can be applied in the management of simple mandibular fracture and obtain adequate anatomical reduction, bone union and acceptable functional result on a long term basis. Materials and methods: From January 2007 to January 2008, patients who were admitted due to mandibular fractures and received absorbable plates for fixation were enrolled for study. Inclusionary criteria were: simple fracture in one or two sites, no airway compromise or major infectious disease, sufficient number of teeth for achieving stable occlusion. All patients in the study were followed for one year. The bone healing was evaluated with facial CT scan. Patients' satisfaction rate was scored by a visual analogue scale. Results: Twelve male and five female patients were included in this study. The mean age was 28 ± 10 years old. Twenty-two fracture sites were managed in this study. Excellent bone healing and high patient satisfaction were noted after one year follow-up. Patients also regained good occlusion and masticatory function. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the absorbable plating system could achieve adequate fixation strength for simple mandibular fracture in one or two sites. Thus, we recommended that absorbable plates could be an alternative choice in fixing the simple mandibular fracture.