Abstract

Background: A Le Fort II maxillary fracture is a severe midfacial injury commonly encountered in maxillofacial trauma. The primary surgical method for bone fixation is the use of titanium plates and screws; however, resorbable plates are being investigated as an alternative with several advantages.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with Le Fort II maxillary fractures treated at Hue Central Hospital were included from January 2024 to March 2025. This study is a prospective, cross-sectional clinical intervention study with a control group.

Results: The two groups of patients using resorbable plates and titanium ones had similar characteristics in terms of age (32.3 ± 7.5 vs. 31.7 ± 8.2) and gender (80% male vs. 75% male). Bite force recovery was good in both groups after surgery. Specifically, at the anterior teeth, the bite force of the resorbable plate group increased from 39.94 ± 30.29 N (1 week) to 123.42 ± 54.04 N (1 month), while the titanium plate group increased from 40.00 ± 30.5 N (1 week) to 126.00 ± 56.3 N (1 month). Similarly, bite force at the right and left molar positions recovered rapidly, with no significant difference between the two groups. Overall, after 6 months, the "Excellent" outcome was achieved in 95% of the resorbable plate group and 90% of the titanium plate group. The complication rate for wound infection was very low (5% in the resorbable plate group and 10% in the titanium plate group).

Conclusion: Resorbable plates are an effective and safe treatment for Le Fort II maxillary fractures, with bone healing, occlusion, and bite force recovery comparable to titanium plates. The advantage of resorbable plates is that removal surgery is unnecessary, reducing invasiveness and complications and making them a suitable option for patients requiring quick recovery.