Treatment of mandibular angle fractures with a malleable noncompression miniplate

Purpose: This study evaluated the results in patients treated for fractures of the mandibular angle with a single, thin, malleable miniplate designed for use in the midface. Patients and Methods: Forty-six patients with 51 fractures of the mandibular angle were treated by open reduction and internal fixation using one noncompression, thin, malleable miniplate and 1.3-mm self-threading screws placed through a transoral incision. No patient was placed into postsurgical maxillomandibular fixation. They were prospectively studied for complications. Results: Seven patients (15.2%) experienced Complications. All were considered minor and did not require hospitalization. Three had asymptomatic fracture of the bone plate, but at the time of diagnosis the fracture had already healed and it required no treatment. Two patients had fracture of the bone plate with continued fracture mobility requiring maxillomandibular fixation. Three minor infections occurred requiting intraoral incision and drainage. Conclusions: The use of this small bone plate for fractures of the angle of the mandible provided adequate fixation in most cases but was associated with an unacceptable incidence of plate fracture. However, the results also indicate that the fixation requirements for angle fractures is less than previously thought.