title: Three-dimensional mandibular motion after closed and open reduction of unilateral mandibular condylar process fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect the changes in 3D mandibular motion after two types of condylar fracture therapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a 3D motion analyzer, free mandibular border movements were recorded in 21 patients successfully treated for unilateral fractures of the mandibular condylar process (nine patients: open reduction, rigid internal fixation, and functional treatment; 12 patients: closed reduction and functional treatment; follow-up: 6-66 months), and in 25 control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were found among the groups at maximum mouth opening (MO), protrusion and in lateral excursions. During opening, the patients had a larger maximal deviation to the fractured side than the controls (controls 2.3 mm, open treatment 3.9 mm, closed treatment 4.2 mm; Kruskal-Wallis test, p=0.014; closed treatment vs. controls, p=0.004), with a larger coronal plane angle (controls 2.4°, open treatment 3.6°, closed treatment 4.4°; p=0.016; closed treatment vs. controls, p=0.013). In the closed treatment patients, a longer follow-up was related to increased maximum MO (p=0.04), sagittal plane angle (p=0.03), and reduced lateral mandibular deviation during MO (p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mandibular condylar fractures can recover good function; some kinematic variables of mandibular motion were more similar to the norm in the open treatment patients than in closed treatment patients.
authors.affiliation: Functional Anatomy Research Center, Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico, Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana e Scienze Biomediche Città Studi, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Mangiagalli 31, I-20133 Milano, Italy. chiarella.sforza@unimi.it
authors.forename: Chiarella
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sforza
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ugolini
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sozzi
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galante
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mapelli
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozzetti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult