Final answer:
A complete fracture involves a break that goes entirely through the bone, splitting it into separate pieces, while an incomplete fracture is a crack in the bone that does not go all the way through, leaving some part of the bone intact.
Step-by-step explanation:
A fracture can be classified as complete if the break goes through the entire thickness of the bone, effectively splitting it into two or more separate pieces. In contrast, an incomplete fracture occurs when the bone is cracked but not separated into distinct pieces; part of the bone remains intact.
For example, a greenstick fracture is a type of incomplete fracture commonly seen in children, due to their more flexible bones, where one side of the bone bends and cracks without breaking completely. On the other hand, a transverse fracture is a kind of complete fracture where the break is a straight line across the bone.
Both types may occur with varying levels of complexity and may require different treatments: closed reduction for minor displacements or open reduction, which involves surgery in more complex cases. Healing involves the formation of a hematoma, followed by the creation of calli and ultimately the action of osteoblasts and osteoclasts to rebuild and remodel the bone.