• Kaan C Yerit, Sibylle Hainich, Georg Enislidis, Dritan Turhani, Clemens Klug, Gert Wittwer, Michael Ockher, Gerhard Undt, Christian Kermer, Franz Watzinger, and Rolf Ewers.
• University Hospital of Cranio-Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. Kaan.yerit@meduniwien.ac.at
• Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2005 Jul 1; 100 (1): 17-24.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficiency of biodegradable self-reinforced (SR-PLDLA) bone plates and screws in open reduction and internal fixation of mandible fractures in children.Study DesignThirteen patients (5 female, 8 male; mean age 12 years, range 5-16 years) were operated on various fractures of the mandible (2 symphyseal, 6 parasymphyseal, 4 body, 3 angle, 1 ramus, 2 condylar fractures). The mean follow-up time was 26.4 months (range 10.9-43.4 months). Intermaxillary fixation was applied in cases with concomitant condylar fractures up to 3 weeks.ResultsPrimary healing of the fractured mandible was observed in all patients. Postoperative complications were minor and transient. The outcome of the operations was not endangered. Adverse tissue reactions to the implants, malocclusion, and growth restrictions did not occur during the observation period.ConclusionsPediatric patients benefit from the advantages of resorbable materials, especially from faster mobilization and the avoidance of secondary removal operations. Based on these preliminary results, self-reinforced fixation devices are safe and efficient in the treatment of pediatric mandible fractures. However, further clinical investigations are necessary to evaluate the long-term reliability.

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