Transmucosal fixation of the fractured edentulous mandible.

Transmucosal fixation is a new strategy for the treatment of edentulous mandibular fractures using external fixation principles within the oral cavity. The component parts of this technique are not new. External fixation, locking plates and transmucosal implants represent the foundations of this technique; the authors' development has been to bring these established methods together as a transmucosal intra oral locking plate fixation technique. The first eight patients treated with this technique have achieved bony union, they have no long-term sensory deficit and all patients were able to eat a soft diet with minimal discomfort the day after surgery. The first five of eight patients on long-term review showed bony union confirmed radiographically. For the remainder and subsequent patients, radiographs have not been scheduled at review, in the absence of symptoms.