Background: The treatment of condylar fractures have always been a topic of discussion in the field of oral and maxillofacial trauma. The causes for these fractures includes road traffic accident, assault or inter personal violence, sporting injury, fall, workplace related mishaps etc., however there has been a lack of consensus on the most common cause of these fractures. Irrespective of the cause, an impact force of higher magnitude is known to cause bilateral fractures. Other factors that govern the bilateral or unilateral distribution include the direction of force, position of the jaws when trauma incurred, general or systemic condition of the patient.
Aims & Objectives: The aims and objectives were to analyze the best treatment option for mandibular condyle fracture.
Material and Methods: In this study we have retrospectively analyzed cases of condylar fractures treated at Jubilee Mission Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India in the period of 2 years from 2015 to 2017. A total of 156 patients (34 female patients and 122 male patients) were included in the study. This includes 42 patients of bilateral condylar fractures and 104 patients with unilateral condylar fractures.The fracture was seen from an age of 6 yrs to 76 years.
Results: 58 patients of Group CR were treated using conservative management option. 46 patients were treated by archbars and elastic inter-maxillary fixation for an average period of 4 weeks. 6 pediatric patients with bilateral condylar fractures and 4 edentulous patients were advised active joint mobilization and soft diet. These patients were kept on routine follow up of every two weeks. Amongst the 98 operated patients in Group OR, satisfactory occlusal relationship was achievable immediate postoperatively in 78 patients. Deflection of jaws during function was minimal. Occlusion was functionally stable in an average period of 1week. Pain persisted during function for an average period of 2 weeks. Maximum and minimum post operative mouth opening recorded was 42mm and 30mm respectively. Average post operative mouth opening according to data is 35mm.
Conclusion: Open reduction and internal fixation of the mandibular condylar fractures provides the most definitive treatment that allows patients to return to early function and restores normal posterior facial height.
Impact Factor
2017: 6.614
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