this study included 25 patients of both sexes with mandibular fractures in the age group of 18 - 48 years , presenting no medical contra indications for the planned procedure .
data collected from the patients included pre and postoperative panoramic radiographs , age at the time of injury , sex , and site of madibular fracture .
the sites of fractures in the mandible consisted symphysis , parasymphysis , body , and angle and excluded condylar fractures , all of which were treated with open reduction and internal fixation with conventional stainless steel miniplates ( 2 and 2.5 mm , 4 and 6 holes plates ) .
the patients were clinically and radiologically evaluated during preoperative , immediate postoperative , 6 weeks postoperative and during regular follow - ups .
all the patients were administered intravenous ampicillin 500 mg , metronidazole 400 mg , and intramuscular diclofenac sodium 50 mg postoperatively , which varied between 5 and 7 days .
the following clinical parameters were used : 
 mobility of the tooth involved in the fracturevitality of the tooth involved in the fracture . 
 
mobility of the tooth involved in the fracture vitality of the tooth involved in the fracture .
the following radiological parameter was used : 
 teeth stabilizing the fracture segment . 
  teeth stabilizing the fracture segment
the anatomic location of mandibular fractures was 80% in the angle region and 20% in the parasymphysis region .
10 patients had grade ii and 10 patients had grade i mobility of the teeth in the line of fractures [ graph 1 ] .
pre - operative mobility totally , 15 patients with teeth in the line of fracture showed no response to cold pulp testing ( nonvital ) preoperatively .
rest 10 patients showed positive response for cold pulp testing ( vital ) [ graph 2 ] .
13 patients with their teeth in the line of fracture showed positive response ( vital ) and 12 patients showed no response to cold pulp testing during 1 week postoperative follow - up [ graph 3 ] .
pre - operative vitality 1st week post - operative vitality sixteen patients with teeth in the line of fracture showed positive response to cold pulp testing during the 6 week postoperative follow - up .
there was a significant improvement in the vitality of the teeth in the line of fracture during the 6 week postoperative evaluation .
the rest 9 patients with their teeth in the line of fracture showed no response to the cold test ( nonvital ) [ graph 4 ] .
6th week post - operative vitality twenty patients panoramic radiographs showed minimally displaced fractures due to the presence of teeth in the line of fractures . in 5 patients ,
the panoramic radiographs showed displaced fractures due to the fully erupted grade iii mobile teeth [ graph 5 ] .
10 patients had grade ii and 10 patients had grade i mobility of the teeth in the line of fractures [ graph 1 ] .
totally , 15 patients with teeth in the line of fracture showed no response to cold pulp testing ( nonvital ) preoperatively .
rest 10 patients showed positive response for cold pulp testing ( vital ) [ graph 2 ] .
13 patients with their teeth in the line of fracture showed positive response ( vital ) and 12 patients showed no response to cold pulp testing during 1 week postoperative follow - up [ graph 3 ] .
pre - operative vitality 1st week post - operative vitality sixteen patients with teeth in the line of fracture showed positive response to cold pulp testing during the 6 week postoperative follow - up .
there was a significant improvement in the vitality of the teeth in the line of fracture during the 6 week postoperative evaluation .
the rest 9 patients with their teeth in the line of fracture showed no response to the cold test ( nonvital ) [ graph 4 ] .
twenty patients panoramic radiographs showed minimally displaced fractures due to the presence of teeth in the line of fractures . in 5 patients , the panoramic radiographs showed displaced fractures due to the fully erupted grade iii mobile teeth [ graph 5 ] .
some studies have demonstrated that it is really common to observe teeth in the line of fractures .
others authors mentioned that the presence of the teeth can be one of the determinant factor of the fracture location .
the management of teeth in the line of fracture had changed within the past years . in the past , it was thought that teeth in the line of fractures should be immediately removed .
although recent studies support the vision that non infected teeth in the line of fracture can be preserved .
this study demonstrated that in 16 patients the vitality of the teeth in the line of fracture with grade i and ii mobility was gradually improved and where as in 9 patients the teeth in the line of fracture remained non vital and out of which 5 pts showed signs of infection due to grade iii mobility which had to be extracted to prevent further complications .
macan et al . in his study concluded that one third of the teeth were reinnervated within 6 weeks after injury and a year after the injury 81% were reinnervated .
the study demonstrated that 20 patients with teeth in the line of fractures favoured the treatment as they contributed in stabilizing the fractured segments .
correct repositioning of fractured fragments is made quicker and easier if the tooth in the line of fracture is conservatively managed .
if extracted , they increase the risk of fracture contamination and may sometimes be difficult to suture .
study supports the vision that noninfected teeth in the line of fracture can be preserved .
the maintenance of these teeth can favour the treatment in some cases ; therefore they contribute for the stability of the fracture .
its removal can be harmful , once that can diminish the contact between fragments , cause additional trauma to the region , increase the risk of contamination of the fracture through the empty alveolus , convert a closed fracture into an open fracture and cause the loss of the bony bunch in the zone of tension .
each case must be evaluated individually , for maintaining or not the teeth in the fracture line , depending on the clinical and radiographic findings .
it is generally accepted by most surgeons that antibiotic therapy should be administered when teeth are left in the line of fracture because of open nature and contamination of the oral cavity .
conservative treatment of teeth involved in the line of mandibular fractures has a favourable prognosis , especially if optimal reduction of the jaw fragments is achieved .
the study demonstrated that the teeth presence in the line of mandibular fracture is not a limiting factor for the treatment .
teeth associated with mandibular fracture should not be removed on a prophylactic basis to reduce the risk of infection of fracture sites just if there is an absolute indication for removal and when retained , they should be followed - up clinically and radiographically for at least 1 year with a view to endodontic treatment if indicated .
patients with teeth in the fracture line showing no response on pulp vitality testing should be advised extraction to avoid further complications . despite the risk of rate of complications , tooth in the fracture line
both clinical and radiological should be mandatory for at least a period of 1 year .
each case must be evaluated individually , for maintaining or not the teeth in the fracture line , depending on the clinical and radiographic findings . as our sample size consisted of only 25 patients , a larger sample size with long - term follow - up
 introduction : the purpose of this study was to evaluate teeth involved in the line of fracture , clinically and radiographically , and their associated complications so as to indicate if they should be managed conservatively or extracted.materials and methods : data were collected from patients records treated of mandibular fractures . it was included pre and postoperative panoramic radiographs , information such as demographic data , age , and sex , fracture location , mobility , and vitality of teeth in the line of fracture , teeth stabilizing the fracture segment.results:the sample presented 25 patients with teeth in the line of mandibular fractures . 
 a total of 16 patients teeth in the line of fracture were vital during the 6th week postoperative follow - up and 9 patients with their teeth in the line of fracture were nonvital of which 4 were endodontically treated and the rest 5 patients teeth in the line of fracture were extracted as they showed signs of infection.conclusion:this study demonstrated that the presence of teeth in the line of fracture is not a limiting factor for the treatment . despite the risk of complications , tooth in the fracture line should be preserved for its merits . 
 a regular clinical and radiological follow - up should be mandatory for at least a period of 1 year . 
Materials and Methods
Results
Clinical Parameters
Mobility of tooth in line of fracture
Vitality of the teeth in the line of fracture
Radiological parameter
Discussion
Conclusion