A comparative study evaluating the efficacy of 2.0-mm mini locking plate and 2.0-mm three-dimensional locking miniplates in mandibular angle fractures

Background: Three-dimensional (3D) mini locking plates not only provide stability due to their unique double-lead thread structure but also cause minimal interference with the underlying vasculature. However, there are not much data available regarding the application of 3D miniplates as a treatment modality for mandibular angle fracture. Therefore, this study was designed to gauge and compare the efficacy of 2.0-mm mini locking plates and 2.0-mm 3D locking miniplates in mandibular angle fractures. Materials and Methods: This comparative randomized study involved 34 mandibular angle fracture patients with randomly categorization into Group 1 (managed using 2.0-mm conventional mini locking plate) and Group 2 (managed using 3D miniplates). The parameters evaluated were occlusal stability, displacement of fracture, signs of inflammation as well as any hardware failure postoperatively. Analysis done was Chi-square test. Results: The mean duration of operation was significantly less in Group 2 ( P < 0.05). Normal healing was noted to be more in Group 2 than in Group 1, with no hardware failure observed in any of the groups. Postoperative occlusal stability was observed to be more satisfactory during the 3 rd week of follow-up in Group 2 patients, which was statistically insignificant ( P = 0.2). Conclusion: 3D miniplates have emerged as a feasible treatment option in cases of mandibular angle fractures. This study reveals comparable results depicting the effectiveness of 3D titanium miniplates to standard titanium miniplates. However, further interventions are needed to arrive at more conclusive outcomes.