Signs and symptoms of TMJ dysfunction in patients with mandibular condyle fractures.

Signs and symptoms of TMJ dysfunction in a total of 52 mandibular fracture patients comprising 15 with condylar fractures (Group I), 22 with combined condylar and mandibular body fractures (Group II), and 15 with mandibular body fractures (Group III) were examined an average of 44 months after injury. In terms of the Helkimo dysfunction index, it was shown that more severe subjective and objective dysfunctions were observed in the Group II, in which condylar fracture patients were treated with long-term intermaxillary fixation (IMF) and in which the patients' injuries were caused by more energetic impacts. There was, nevertheless, a tendency for the dysfunction to be graded as milder as the time elapsing since the injury increased.