Do I need to remove
the fixation plates after corrective jaw surgery?
Purpose of fixation plates
The
purpose of having fixation plates is to fix the jaws in the newly planned
position so that the bones can heal.Double Jaw Surgery is basically a surgically performed fracture. In
corrective jaw surgery, the plates and screws serves that function of
immobilizing the two fragments relative to each other.
Should they be removed?
Because
the titanium is seamlessly integrated with bone, these fixation plates need not
be removed. They also do not set off alarms at airports or other metal
detectors. However, sometimes, they may become exposed through the gums due to
thin gums or superficial placement of the plates during surgery. Or if you feel
discomfort on plate area than you need to remove it.
Can
they be removed?
Some people are concern about the any
unknown risks that may surface many years later and request for their removal. These plates can be removed once the bone has healed as they do not serve any
purpose after that.
The best time to remove these plates is about 6 months
after orthognathic surgery. At that point, the healing is completed and the
bone has remodeled and the surgical results would have reach stability.
However
beyond 2 years, removal progressively becomes difficult due to the integration
of the bone with the implants and screws. Late removal of the plates often
requires a fair bit of bone removal to expose the plates. Screws may not be
retrievable at all without extensive drilling of the bone.
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