Treatment of condylar fracture of the mandible: Conservative treatment without intermaxillary fixation

Most condylar fractures of the mandible are treated with the closed method, although opinions differ as to the management of dislocated condylar fractures. Intermaxillary fixation is generally used in the closed method. Authors have treated these cases without intermaxillary fixation. For early establishment of occlusion and movement of the fractured mandible, the Champy mini-plate was used in cases having concomitant mandibular fractures with condylar fractures and/or extraoral traction appliance. Eighty-five per cent of these cases showed satisfactory results in a clinical follow-up evaluation. It seems that the closed method without intermaxillary fixation is effective in dislocated condylar fractures.