Use of two miniplates for intermaxillary skeletal fixation in the treatment of jaw deformity and fracture.

Abstract

Special techniques of skeletal intermaxillary fixation are described, which may be used in edentulous patients or those with many missing teeth or multiple fractures of the jaw. Two such cases are described in which the usual fixation techniques could not provide sufficient stabilization because of linguoversion and mesioversion or lack of teeth, resulting in inability to maintain a vertical interocclusal relationship. Two long eight-hole Champy miniplates were therefore used distally to the canines on both sides. In the first case, they provided fixation following a sagittal ramus osteotomy to advance the mandible, and in the second case they were used in the treatment of a mandibular fracture.