Management of Mandibular Angle Fractures Using Single Y-Shaped Titanium Miniplate at the Superior Border: A Prospective Clinical Study

Treatment of angle fractures remains controversial. The various techniques documented for the treatment are: wire osteosynthesis, one miniplate at superior border (2.0 mm), a single plate on inferior border (2.3 or 2.7 mm) along with tension band in the form of arch bar at the upper border, 2 miniplates (1 at superior border and 1 at inferior border), 3-D strut plates or lag screw. To evaluate the efficacy of single Y-shaped titanium miniplate at the superior border in the management of mandibular angle fractures. Total of 15 healthy adult patients reporting to the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for the treatment of mandibular angle fractures was randomly selected. All the cases were assessed clinically at 1st post-operative day, 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th week post-operatively for pain, status of occlusion, neurosensory deficit and postoperative hard & soft tissue healing. Radiographic assessment was also done at 1st postoperative day, 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Postoperative pain, infection, wound dehiscence, neurosensory deficit were not evident during the follow- up periods. Radiographically, the fracture reduction was good and plate fracture was not seen in any case. Y- shaped titanium miniplate is an effective method in the management of the mandibular angle fractures and provided satisfactory results.