Prophylactic Internal Fixation to Avoid Mandible Fracture With Third Molar Removal: Use of Computer-Assisted Surgery to Improve Clinical Outcomes.

Although uncommon, iatrogenic fractures of the mandible may occur during the perioperative time period of a lower third molar removal. The case described used digital technology to apply prophylactic internal fixation before a lower third molar removal thought to be at high risk for a mandible fracture. A medical model of the patient's mandible was 3-dimensionally printed and used as a reference to prebend a titanium plate. Dynamic navigation, a form of computer-assisted surgery, was used during the surgery to accurately place the prebent titanium plate according to the corresponding position on the medical model.