EARLY VERSUS DELAYED FIXATION OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-RELATED MANDIBULAR FRACTURES: A COHORT OF 84 PATIENTS

This prospective cohort study assessed fracture patterns and the effect of surgical timing in 84 patients with road traffic accident–related mandibular fractures treated by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Most patients were young men, and two-wheeler accidents accounted for half of all injuries; helmet use among two-wheeler riders was low. Multiple fracture lines were common, with the parasymphysis being the most frequently affected site. Early ORIF performed within 72 hours was associated with significantly lower surgical-site infection rates and a substantially shorter hospital stay than delayed surgery. Although malocclusion was less frequent after early fixation, the difference was not statistically significant.