Fractures of the mandible: a 20-year retrospective analysis of 753 patients

BACKGROUND The craniofacial region is one of the most frequently injured parts of the body, and mandibular fracture is one of the commonest facial skeletal injuries. The most frequent causes of mandibular fractures are the traumas related to traffic accidents, falls, interpersonal violence, and sports activities, etc. METHODS Seven hundred fifty-three cases (615 male, 138 female; megan age 36.2 years) (age >16) with mandibular fracture were evaluated retrospectively. Patient records were examined in terms of age, sex, etiology, seasonal variation, fracture localization, accompanying traumas, treatment modality, and postoperative complications. RESULTS Traffic accidents were the most common etiologic cause in all age groups and both sexes. All cases had a total of 1090 fractures, and the most common fracture localization was the parasymphysis (28.6%), followed by the condyle, corpus, angulus, symphysis, dentoalveolar process, ramus, and coronoid process, respectively. In 25 (3.3%) patients with fissure-like, non-displaced fracture, only symptomatic treatment was applied. Closed reduction with elastic bandage, arch bar, quick-fix screws or Ivy Loop was the only method performed in 280 (37.2%) patients. Osteosynthesis by open reduction and internal fixation (miniplates, screws or transosseous wiring) was performed in 403 (53.5%) patients; closed reduction techniques were also performed in 134 of these patients. CONCLUSION In the recent years, double-road constructions, increased traffic audits and regulation of the traffic rules decreased the incidence of mandibular fractures.