Management of Subcondylar Fracture by Intraoral Approach

Abstract: Condylar fracture osteosynthesis is nowadays commonlypracticed, but only a few studies report the intraoral approach withangulated devices. Subcondylar fractures with little or lateral dis-placement can be treated using an intraoral approach with satis-factory results. The advantages of this approach are the absenceof visible scars, the avoidance of facial nerve injury inherent tothe extraoral approach, quick access to the fracture, and a reducedrisk of infection. The authors report a case of subcondylar fracturetreated through an intraoral approach. Despite the considerablelateral dislocation of the condyle, treatment consisted of the re-duction of the fracture and osteosynthesis with a trapezoidal con-dylar plate using an intraoral surgical approach.Key Words: Mandibular condyle, intraoral approach, opentreatment(J Craniofac Surg 2013;24: 587Y588) F ractures of the mandibular condyle are common, accountingfor 25% to 35% of all mandibular fractures in reported series. 1 The topic of mandibular condylar fracture has generated morediscussion and controversy with regard to classification, diagnosis,and therapeutic management, as evident in the various schemesused to classify and subdivide these fractures.