Description of an Intraoral Lingual Arch Fixation Technique for the Treatment of Mandibular Body Fractures in Dogs and Its Application in Six Patients

Mandibular fractures are a common injury in dogs and are associated with relatively high complication rates. The main goals of treatment are to provide stable fixation to promote bone healing, preserve the teeth and surrounding anatomical structures, and restore normal dental occlusion. Several treatment techniques have been described, including external skeletal fixation, bone plates and screws, interdental and intraosseous cerclage wiring, and dental splints used alone or in combination with cerclage fixation. However, all have inherent limitations. The objective of this study was to describe a novel intraoral fixation technique and evaluate its clinical application. The technique consists of a lingual arch anchored to the teeth or mandibular bone using cerclage wires and reinforced with bis-acrylic resin. Six dogs presenting with 11 mandibular body fractures, 10 of them opened toward oral cavity and with anatomically unfavorable configurations, were treated. The fractures were located rostral to or involved the alveolus of the first premolar. Ten fractures were open and potentially contaminated through the oral cavity, while one was closed. All patients achieved bone healing (mean, 70.8 days; range, 63–96 days). All patients recovered their pre-traumatic dental occlusion and showed no dental damage as a consequence of the intervention. The only complication observed in all cases was irritation of the oral mucosa at the contact points with the fixator. This resolved favorably within one week without antibiotic treatment. The potential advantages and limitations of the technique compared with existing fixation methods are also discussed.