title: [Anatomical and functional studies on surgical and non-surgical treatment of mandibular condylar process fractures].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aim at comparing anatomical and functional recovery from surgical and non-surgical treatment of condylar process fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally Forty-nine patients, 22 treated by performing operation, and 27 using non-surgical methods, were included in this study. Displaced angle of condylar, maximal mouth opening, lateral deviation on opening and masticatory function were analyzed using radiological and clinical examinations 6 weeks and 1 year after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients treated by surgical method had significantly greater initial displaced angle of condyles than did the group treated non-surgically, but patients treated non-surgically had significantly greater displaced angle of condylar and lateral deviation on opening than did the group treated surgically 6 weeks and 1 year after the therapy finished. Patients treated surgically had significantly greater masticatory function than did the group treated non-surgically 6 weeks and 1 year after treatment. Six weeks later, patients treated surgically had significantly greater maximal mouth opening than did the group treated non-surgically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical treatment may be helpful in anatomical and functional recovery of mandibular condyles for patients with displaced condylar process fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Quanzhou People's Hospital.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome