title: Mouth opening after release of maxillomandibular fixation in fracture patients.
abstract: Three hundred eleven patients with mandibular fractures were studied prospectively to ascertain the influence of jaw immobilization on mouth opening. Maxillomandibular fixation caused a significant reduction in mouth opening whereas open reduction did not. Furthermore, there appeared to be a relationship between the duration of immobilization and the degree of reduction of mouth opening such that the shorter the duration of fixation, the less the reduction.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: de Amaratunga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001864:Bone Wires; D002648:Child; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization; D008334:Mandible / Q000502:physiology*; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth; D009068:Movement; D013997:Time Factors