Treatment of mandibular condyle fractures. A 20-year review.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The condylar fracture is among the most frequent facial fractures. Despite all the published studies, its treatment remains controversial. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the epidemiology and complications of mandibular condyle fractures managed by surgical and conservative treatments, over a period of twenty years.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The files of 262 patients with 318 condyle fractures were included in this study. One hundred and seven patients had conservative management, and 155 had surgical management for the condylar fractures. The outcomes were assessed by reviewing the patient's clinical records.

RESULTS: The prevalence was higher in males and most patients were Caucasians in the third decade of life. The mean age was 30.17 years old. The main causes were motorcycle accidents followed by bike accidents, and the mean follow-up time was 226.5 days. The number of complications found in the two modalities of treatment was low and similar.

CONCLUSION: Both treatments achieved their goals. There was no statistical difference in the complication rate between the two groups.