Comparative study of the prognosis of an extracorporeal reduction and a closed treatment in mandibular condyle head and/or neck fractures.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was a comparison of the prognosis between an extracorporeal reduction technique and closed treatment of a mandibular condyle fracture. The relationship between condylar resorption and several clinical variables was also studied.


METHODS
Seventy-one patients who had a mandibular condyle fracture took part in this study. Thirty-five patients (female: 7, male: 28, age: 30.46 ± 14.27 years) were treated by extracorporeal reduction, and 36 patients (male: 24, female: 12, age: 24.28 ± 9.99 years) were treated using a closed treatment. The presence of complications such as condylar resorption, malocclusion, nerve disorder, and disc displacement was evaluated with panoramic radiographs and clinical examinations 12 months after treatment. The relationships between the complications and other clinical variables were evaluated statistically.


RESULTS
The anatomic site and fracture type were closely related to condyle resorption in the bivariate analysis. Condylar head fractures showed significantly higher condyle resorption than condylar neck fractures (P = .023). A complex or compound fracture showed significantly higher condyle resorption compared with a simple fracture (P = .006). Patients who had a complex/compound fracture were 34.366 times more likely to have condyle resorption compared with those who had a simple fracture (P = .002). The patient's age and treatment method were also significant predictors for condyle resorption.


CONCLUSIONS
Fracture type was the strongest predictor of condylar resorption. Because treatment method and patient age were also related to the prognosis, the optimal treatment for mandibular condylar head and/or neck fractures should be individualized according to the patient's condition.
Park
Jung-Min
JM
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Korea.
Jang
Yong-Wook
YW
Kim
Seong-Gon
SG
Park
Young-Wook
YW
Rotaru
Horatiu
H
Baciut
Grigore
G
Hurubeanu
Lucia
L
D000328:Adult; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult