[Periodontal conditions of the teeth next to the fracture line after stable plate osteosynthesis in the mandible].

Follow-ups in 21 patients with 30 fractures of the lower jaw which were treated with stable plate osteosynthesis showed that 94% of the teeth adjacent to the fracture line were not extracted. The rate of secondary healing was 7%. Evaluation of the periodontal conditions showed that only 14% of the teeth were not worth keeping and 45% of the teeth required treatment. It is pointed out that when treating mandibular fractures with stable plate osteosynthesis, retention of the teeth in the fracture line does not mean an increased risk as far as secondary healing and the tooth itself are concerned.