International Journal of Oral Health and Medical Research | ISSN 2395-7387 | MARCH-APRIL 2019 | VOL 5 | ISSUE 6 50 ORIGINAL RESEARCH Sonal et al.: IMF Screws Correspondence to: Dr. Sonal, Post Graduate Student, Department of OMFS, I.T.S Dental College, Greater Noida. Contact Us: www.ijohmr.com IMF Screws: An Efficient mode of Intermaxillary Fixation in Maxillofacial Trauma Patients Sonal 1 , Meghali Diwaker 2 , Sumit Aman 3 , G.K Thapliyal 4 , Om Prakash 5 , Himanshu Bhutani 6 Introduction: Intermaxillary fixation (IMF) is a basic and fundamental principle in the management of facial fractures. It guides in reduction and fixation of facial fractures by securing the patient’s pre trauma occlusion. Aim & Objectives: To assess the efficacy of Maxillomandibular fixation using Titanium Intermaxillary fixation screws in the management of facial bony injury. Material and Method: 30 patients presenting with facial fractures reporting to our College and hospital were randomly selected and were divided into group A (IMF Screw) and group B (Arch bar) including 15patients in each group. Results: Study population consisted of 30 patients (mean age 31.8 for group A and 35.8 in group B). Time duration to fix IMF Screw (mean 19.8min) and for Arch bar (mean 92.4min). Glove puncture rate was markedly lower in IMF Screw group (6.7%) and in Arch bar group (40.0%). Occlusion was found to be satisfactory in both groups. Periodontal health, interdental papilla preservation, bite force, were found to be better with group A (IMF Screw). KEYWORDS: MMF, IMF Screw, Arch Bar AASSSAAsasasss Management of mandibular fractures opens with history and evolution of treatment and dates back to Edwin Smith, an ancient Greek. He provides clear cut documentation for the treatment of mandibular fractures dating back as early as the seventeenth century. Intermaxillary fixation (IMF) is a basic and fundamental principle in the management of the facial fractures. It guides in reduction and fixation of facial fractures by securing the patient’s pre trauma occlusion 1 . Since ancient times, IMF has been used alone to treat facial fractures. This was achieved by attaching a metallic framework to the teeth to provide support to the fractured segments and then Intermaxillary fixation was done with elastics or wires. Due to the lack of rigid fixation, the period of IMF was longer which used to cause discomfort to the patient. Maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) is considered one of the most important steps in the management of trauma of maxilla and mandible. 2 Different methods to achieve IMF have been described in literature such as Arch bars, Risdon wiring, Ivy eyelet wiring, bonded brackets, metal splints, acrylic splints, gunning type splints for edentulous patients, and more recently self tapping and self drilling IMF screws. 3 The Arch bar was introduced by Saures (1889) in Germany and Gilmer (1901) in the USA has been the mainstay for the management of maxillomandibular bony injuries since the World War I. 4 Though Arch bar provide superior occlusion control and reliable fixation, they present with many disadvantages which includes difficulty in maintaining oral hygiene, trauma to the periodontium, reduced patient compliance and patient discomfort, time duration for placement of Arch bar is longer, and risk of needle stick injury is more etc. 5 For overcoming these problems, alternate techniques such as IMF screws have been introduced. IMF screws provide bone borne support for the MMF wires to achieve IMF instead of tooth borne support in the case of Arch bars. For this reason, many complications related to tooth borne devices such as poor oral hygiene and periodontal health can be avoided. 3 In 1989 Arthur and Berardo suggested an alternative method for intermaxillary fixation 6. The technique involved the use of self tapping 2.0 mm titanium bone screws (predrilled IMF screws, bicortical screws, IMF screws, transalveolar screws) which were placed into the maxilla and mandible to provide points of intermaxillary fixation. Self-tapping IMF screws are quick and easy to use and greatly shorten the operating time to achieve maxillomandibular fixation. They are relatively inexpensive and reduce the risk of needle stick-type-injuries associated with using wires. 7 Aim & Objectives: To assess the efficacy of Maxillo- mandibular fixation using Titanium Intermaxillary fixation screws in the management of facial bony injury. INTRODUCTION 1,2,3-Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, ITS Dental College and Research Centre, Greater Noida, U.P. 4-Head of the Department, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, ITS Dental College and Research Centre, Greater Noida, U.P. 5- Senior practitioner, Delhi. 6- Reader, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, ITS Dental College and Research Centre, Greater Noida, U.P. ABSTRACT How to cite this article: Sonal , Diwaker M , Aman S , Thapliyal GK, Om Prakash, Bhutani H. IMF Screws: An Efficient mode of Intermaxillary Fixation in Maxillofacial Trauma Patients. Int J Oral Health Med Res 2018;5(6):50-53.