title: Closed treatment of condylar fractures by intermaxillary fixation with thermoforming plates.
abstract: We report a new intermaxillary fixation (IMF) method for condylar fractures using a thermoforming plate. Fifteen cases of condylar fracture were selected and thermoforming plates were applied. The patient's recover was uneventful in all 15 cases, and the period of IMF ranged from 7 to 17 days, (mean 12) for the following 7 days IMF was used only at night together with functional jaw training during the day. The outcome was good. IMF using a thermoforming plate may be a useful technique for selected condylar fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigaku-machi, Takatsuki-Shi, Osaka 5698686, Japan. ora007@poh.osaka-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terai
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimahara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D019248:Jaw Fixation Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000293:injuries*; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D013165:Splints; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome