A comparison of the treating mandibular fractures at the department of maxillofacial and oral surgery, Groote Schuur hospital

Abstract

Mandibular fractures are common facial injuries, occurring twice as frequently as fractures of the bones of the midface. Only the nasal bones are fractured more often as the result of trauma to the face (Olson eta/ 1982; Theriorletal 1987; Shepherd et al 1988; Dodson et al 1990; Lownie et al 1996). In many oral and maxillofacial units, the treatment of fractures of the mandible form the major proportion of the services rendered. Internationally it is accepted that there are two methods of treatment for fractures of the mandible, namely, closed and open reduction. Closed reductions are performed in dentate patients either under local or general anaesthesia. This method entails the placement of eyelet wires between or around teeth in both arches and then placing the patient into intermaxillary fixation. This is the method of choice when treating an undisplaced fracture of the mandible.