Evaluation of prevalence in the treatment of mandible condyle fractures.

OBJECTIVE

To study the treatment of fractures of the mandibular condyle and discuss conservative versus surgical therapy.

METHODS

We examined the medical records of 892 bucofacial traumas, from which we selected only those who had: reports of condylar fractures, isolated or associated with other facial bones, identification data, dental care history and treatment applied for the condylar fracture. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the conservative and surgical therapies were compared.

RESULTS

Condyle fractures were present in 124 cases. Males represented 72.0% of the sample, the age group most affected being the one between 21 and 30 years. Conservative treatment was used in 61.0% of patients.

CONCLUSION

Surgical treatment was predominantly used in patients over ten years old, victims of traffic accidents and falls, followed by assaults, firearms and sporting accidents.