title: Outcomes of open versus closed treatment in the management of mandibular subcondylar fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the clinical and radiological outcomes after closed reduction (CR) and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in the management of subcondylar fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients presenting with subcondylar fracture between January 2010 and March 2013 were evaluated retrospectively. Fifteen patients were treated with CR and 33 patients with ORIF. The clinical and radiologic parameters were evaluated during follow-up (mean, 7.06 months; range, 3 to 36 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the CR group, no patients had any problems with regard to the clinical parameters. The average period of maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) was 5.47 days. The preoperative average tangential angulation of the fractured fragment was 3.67°, and loss of ramus height was 2.44 mm. In the ORIF group, no clinical problems were observed, and the average period of MMF was 6.33 days. The preoperative average tangential angulation of the subcondylar fragment was 8.66°, and loss of ramus height was 3.61 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CR provided satisfactory clinical results, though ORIF provided more accurate reduction of the fractured fragment. So there is no distinct displacement of fractured fragment, CR should be selected than ORIF because of no need for surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Closed reduction; Open reduction and internal fixation; Subcondylar fracture