EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF THREE METHODS OF FIXATION FOR MANDIBULAR ANGLE FRACTURE ON TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT AND OCCLUSION (COMPARATIVE CLINICAL STUDY) ABSTRACT Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different methods of fixation of mandibular angle fracture on the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and occlusion.Patients and Methods The inclusion criteria included patients with fractures of the mandibular angle who were dentate. However, a number of patients were excluded as follows: Those with multiple traumas, maxillary fractures, or who presented with infection at the site of fracture were also excluded. The surgical treatment was done by the same surgical team for all the study groups. The patients with mandibular angle fracture were randomly allocated into three groups. Group I: patients treated via intraoral external oblique ridge fixation. Group II: patients treated by combined intraoral and transbuccal lateral cortical plate fixation. Group III: patients treated by extraoral lateral cortical plate fixation. Postoperative evaluations include evaluation for the occlusion, reduction of the fracture, and TMJ Disorders(TMD). Postoperative evaluation was performed at 1 week, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between post-operative occlusion and post-operative reduction of fracture in different groups through all periods. There was no statistically significant difference between prevalence of TMD after 1 week and after 3 months in the three groups. After 6 months and 12 months; Group II with vertical unfavorable fracture (V/UF) showed statistically significantly higher prevalence of TMD than the other groups. Conclusions: Complications such as TMD may occur months or even years after successful healing but must still be considered a complication. Due to possibility of potential injury to marginal mandibular nerve and extraoral scar, we recommend the use of intraoral external oblique ridge fixation with limited periosteal reflection for treatment of mandibular angle fracture. Mohmmad A. Shuman * ; Ayman F. Hegab ** and Hatem H. Alahmady ** * Lecturer of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University. Assiut. Egypt. ** Lecturer of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University. Cairo. Egypt. *** Assistant Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University. Girls Branch. Cairo. Egypt. INTRODUCTION The mandibular angle is the most frequent site of mandibular fracture and also has the highest rate of complications. The mandibular angle is subject to muscle forces related to the muscles of mastica- tion and suprahyoid musculature resulting in un- stable rotation of the proximal and distal fracture segments (1) . (75)