Identifying the risk factors causing iatrogenic mandibular fractures associated with exodontia: a systemic meta-analysis of 200 cases from 1953 to 2015.

PURPOSE: Iatrogenic fracture of mandible (IFM) associated with exodontia though rare, they do occur with an incidence ranging from 0.0034 to 0.0075 %. Most of the data is in the form of case reports or a small case series. This is an attempt to amass the data available in literature since the last 62 years. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to identify the etiologies and risk factors leading to IFM associated with exodontia and also the measures to minimize the complication.

METHODS: Articles published between 1953 and 2015 were searched in Medline database. Data was collected and analyzed based on age, gender, extracted tooth, status of dentition, pathological bone lesion adjacent to the tooth, type of impaction, angulation of the impacted third molar, site of fracture, side of fracture, time of fracture, and treatment of fracture.

RESULTS: A review identified 200 documented cases of IFM associated with the removal of teeth. The reasons for its occurrence found to be multifactorial with a higher incidence in the fifth decade of life with male prevalence. Risk factors more commonly identified were removal of the third molar, fully dentate patient, associated pathology, impacted tooth, angle region, left quadrant, and time interval of 3 weeks postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS: IFM related to the removal of teeth is a rare complication. Identifying and addressing the risk factors will enable the surgeon to avoid the complication of IFM associated with exodontia.