Aims and objectives: To compare and evaluate the variation in recorded bite forces in patients with mandibular fractures undergoing open reduction and rigid internal fixation using standard 2.0 versus 2.0 mm locking miniplates.
Materials and methods: A prospective randomized study was conducted for the treatment of mandibular fractures. Twenty adult patients with 31 mandibular fractures requiring an open reduction and internal fixation were included in the study. The sample was divided into two groups depending upon whether the patients received 2.0 mm non-locking (standard) or 2.0 mm locking miniplates for rigid fixation respectively. Bite force was evaluated at 1st, 3rd and 6th week after the open reduction and rigid fixation using miniplates.
Results: A statistically significant difference was not found in the clinical parameters such as pain, swelling, infection, paresthesia, hardware failure, and mobility between the fracture segments. The results showed that amongst locking vs non-locking miniplates, the former showed a greater bite force enhancement when compared to baseline values(post-trauma).A comparison between 2nd day post-operative vs 6th week post-operative values showed a significant increase in bite force in Group 1 (non-locking) (p < 0.05) whereas the values Were highly significant (p < 0.001) in Group 2 (locking Plate).
Conclusion: The findings were suggestive that the efficacy of locking miniplates plate in mandibular fracture was superior in terms of bearing the masticatory loads during osteosynthesis of the fracture. However, the clinical results were almost similar to those seen with non-locking miniplate osteosynthesis.
Keywords: Bite force; Bite meter; Locking plates; Non-locking plates.