Failed Fixation in Atrophic Mandibular Fractures: The Case against Miniplates.

Despite advances in the treatment of the fractured atrophic edentulous mandible, treatment continues to be difficult. Patient management is more complicated due to patients often being elderly with more complex medical problems. Rigid internal fixation has greatly improved outcomes with shorter treatment times, yet a consensus has yet to be reached regarding which method yields the most predictable results.

Management of atrophic mandible fractures.

Traumatic facial fractures that were once rarely encountered now present with increasing frequency in the elderly population. Included in this group of fractures are those of the atrophic edentulous mandible. As patients age and become edentulous, atrophy of the mandibular alveolar ridges and adjacent basal bone reduces bony surface area, bone density, and blood supply, making the mandible more brittle and increasing the likelihood of mandibular fracture during a traumatic event.

A biomechanical evaluation of plating techniques used for reconstructing mandibular symphysis/parasymphysis fractures.

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate and compare the biomechanical behavior of 5 different methods used to repair mandibular symphysis/parasymphysis fractures.

Materials And Methods: Sixty synthetic polyurethane mandible replicas (Synbone, Laudquart, Switzerland) were used in this investigation. Ten controls and 10 each of the experimental groups were tested by subjecting 5 constructs in each group to vertical loading at the incisal edge and 5 constructs to torsional loading at the molar region by an Instron 1331 (Instron, Canton, MA) servohydraulic mechanical testing unit.

A biomechanical comparison of 2 techniques for reconstructing atrophic edentulous mandible fractures.

Objectives: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate and compare the biomechanical behavior of 2 techniques for the reconstruction of atrophic edentulous mandible fractures.

Materials And Methods: Thirty polyurethane atrophic edentulous mandible replicas (Sawbones, Vashon Island, WA) were used in this investigation (10 controls, 10 replicas of 2 different fixation techniques). The first reconstruction technique was a traditional titanium locking reconstruction plate affixed to the lateral border (buccal surface) of the mandible.

Using prealbumin as an inflammatory marker for patients with deep space infections of odontogenic origin.

Background: The general health of the host may contribute to the severity of odontogenic infections. An example is the link between protein malnutrition and host defense mechanisms, most notably cell-mediated and mucosal immune responses. The plasma concentration of prealbumin, a protein synthesized in the liver with a half-life of 1.