RESUMO
PURPOSE: The goal was to suggest guidelines for the treatment of developing tooth buds located on the fracture line of mandibular fractures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The long-term radiographic follow-up records of 28 patients with mandibular fractures involving 66 tooth buds were examined for the occurrence of abnormalities in development or eruption. The fates of the involved teeth were compared according to the fracture conditions and other factors, and the cause of the abnormalities was surveyed. RESULTS: Abnormal findings were observed in 30 of 66 developing teeth (45%); these included deficient root formation, abnormal bend of the root, nodule formation on the root, partial obliteration of the pulp cavity, impaction, growth arrest, and external resorption. No relationship was found between the presence of abnormalities and the condition of the fracture or the developmental stage of the tooth buds. However, infection, rotation of the tooth bud, and a surgical wire passing through the follicular space were associated with arrested growth and impaction. CONCLUSIONS: The tooth buds present on the fracture line should be preserved except in cases of infection, and careful attention should be paid to avoiding further injury to the tooth bud and the soft tissues of the follicle at the time of surgery.