Genotoxicity of fixation devices analyzed by the frequencies of sister chromatid exchange.

Background: Metal alloys utilized in the management of jaw fractures may exert genotoxic effects. Our purpose was to compare the genotoxicity of intermaxillary fixation devices containing nickel and chromium to that of titanium miniplates utilized in treatment of jaw fractures through the analysis of sister chromatid exchange.

Methods: In this prospective study, in a total of 28 non-smoker patients (10 females, 18 males; mean age 33.43±10.76; range 15 to 60 years) with jaw fractures, 14 were treated with intermaxillary fixation by administration of nickel-chromium wire and arch bar and 14 with titanium miniplates to investigate the genotoxicity of different metal alloys. The outcome variable was the frequency of sister chromatide exchange in peripheral lymphoctyes, determined through the analysis of venous blood samples obtained preoperatively and 4 to 6 weeks postoperatively.

Results: The frequency of the average sister chromatid exchange was found to be significantly higher in patients treated with the nickel-chromium intermaxillary fixation devices than those treated by titanium miniplates (1.29±0.29 vs. 0.46±0.39, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Although titanium miniplate osteosynthesis is an invasive technique in comparison with the nickel-chromium-containing intermaxillary fixation devices, titanium seems to exert less genotoxic effect than the nickel-chromium alloy. However, this finding should be supported in clinical studies with a larger sampling size.