Intraoral technique for locking reconstruction plate fixation using an implant handpiece with adapted drills.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Locking reconstruction plates are used in the treatment of jaw trauma and diseases if there is a need for surgical resection and to prevent pathologic fracture after tumor excision. Fixation is typically performed using an extraoral approach. METHODS: This article describes a technique for the intraoral fixation of locking reconstruction plates that uses prototyping to model the plate before the procedure as well as an implant handpiece with adapted drills for bone drilling and the insertion of screws into relatively inaccessible areas. CONCLUSION: Intraoral fixation not only prevents nerve damage and facial scarring but also minimizes the plate's risk of extraoral exposure and reduces surgical morbidity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38 1436-1439, 2016.