Abstract: PURPOSE: To compare the clinical effects of mandibular angle fracture surgery through intraoral and extraoral approach. METHODS: From January 2008 to December 2014, 46 patients with mandibular angle fracture were retrospectively recruited in this study. An intraoral approach was used in 22 cases as group 1 in whom the fractures were fixed by one titanium miniplate alone, the others through an extraoral approach as group 2 in whom the fractures were fixed by two plates. Intermaxillary traction was used in all patients for 3 weeks following the operation. The data was collected in MS Excel 2003 and further analyzed by SPSS13.0 software package. RESULTS: The wound healing was in uneventful group 1, no complication occurred 3 weeks later. On the contrary, 5 cases with postoperative infection and 3 cases with temporary weakness of facial nerve were observed in the group 2. Three months later, postoperative panoramic radiographs showed mandible fractures healed well in group 1; while in group 2, three cases complained of unhealed fractures and unsatisfactory occlusion. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with extraoral approach to manage mandibular angle fracture with 2 miniplates, one miniplate through intraoral approach can provide better outcomes.

Key words: Mandibular angle fractures, Intraoral approach, Extraoral approach, Mandibular third molars