Arch Bars vs. IMF (Intermaxillary Fixation) Screws: Cost Effectiveness Based on Time Duration of Device Placement.

Exclusion Criteria

• •Patients younger than 18 or older than 70
• •Patients with developing tooth buds anterior to the second molars
• •Patients with inadequate stability of occlusion
• •Edentulism
• •Unstable vertical and horizontal stops to the occlusion
• •Patients with disorders affecting bone healing, metabolism and turnover
• •Those patients on bisphosphonates, oral or IV
• •Patients with evidence of intrabony pathology of the mandible or maxilla
• •The presence of any of the following:
• •Greater than one (1) open fracture of the tooth-bearing mandible
• •Bilateral angle fractures are exempt from this
• •Comminuted fractures of the mandible
• •Concomitant infection, or osteomyelitis of the mandible
• •Mechanism of injury
• •Pathologic fracture
• •Gun-shot wounds