Efficacy of lag-screw osteosynthesis in mandibular frontal area: case study

The problem of maxillofacial injuries and improvement of treatment of fractures of facial bones of different localization does not lose its relevance. At the present stage of development of maxillofacial surgery, the preference is given to minimally invasive techniques of surgical treatment of mandibular fractures, which allow to restore the aesthetic and functional status of the maxillofacial area in shortest terms compared to the prolonged methods of conservative treatment. Availability of a wide range of fixing devices of a variety of designs, including miniplates, allows for adequate fixation of bone fragments, regardless of the localization and number of fractures. At the same time, given the functional peculiarities of biomechanics of the mandible, fixation of bone fragments by miniplates does not always provide the necessary "rigidity" of fixation, which may be accompanied by complications of a diverse nature. This providesbasis forthe elaboration of alternative methods of bone fixation, in particular using lag screws, the popularity of which has been increasing recently, as evidenced by the large number of publications in the professional literature. The proposed study presents a clinical case of a traumatic bilateral fracture of the mandible treated by the method of functionally stable osteosynthesis, when bothminiplates and lag screws were used for fixation. A brief historical note on the application of lag screws is provided, the advantages and disadvantages of lag screw fixation are compared with traditional miniplates.