title: An interesting case of gunshot injury to the temporomandibular joint.
abstract: The head and face are relatively common sites of gunshot injury, and the temporomandibular joint is often affected. These wounds usually produce major deformity and functional impairment, particularly when the temporomandibular joint is affected or when structures such as the facial nerve are damaged. Complications may include mandibular displacement at maximum mouth opening and in protrusion, limited mouth opening, limited lateral movement of the jaw, anterior open bite, and, more rarely, temporomandibular ankylosis. Projectiles that strike the mandible usually cause comminuted fractures; maxillary wounds, in turn, are most commonly perforating. The present report describes a case of gunshot injury in which the projectile lodged within the mandibular fossa but did not cause any fractures. Oral and maxillofacial trauma surgeons must be aware of the different types of gunshot injury, as they produce distinct patterns of tissue destruction due to projectile trajectory and release of kinetic energy into surrounding tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mário Sergio Medeiros
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caroline Comis
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Giongo
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme de Marco
authors.initials: Gde M
authors.lastname: Antonello
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Torres do
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Couto
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ruy de Oliveira Veras
authors.initials: Rde O
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Otacílio Luiz Chagas
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Junior
keywords: gunshot; rehabilitation; temporomandibular joint; wounds