A retrospective study on epidemiology and treatment of maxillofacial fractures.

There are many different studies about the epidemiology and characteristics of maxillofacial fractures. In the authors' clinic a study was done regarding the characteristics of patients with maxillofacial fractures. 553 patients were investigated retrospectively. The causes, localizations, fracture types, treatments modalities, and complications were evaluated. The most common cause of maxillofacial fractures was traffic accidents (90.15%) followed by interpersonal violence (2.71%). The most common fracture site was the parasymphisis (30.9%) in mandibular fractures and the orbital rim in midface fractures. Young (26-41 years of age) male (82.64%) patients were more prone to maxillofacial injury. The most common treatment modality is rigid fixation with miniplates. This study concerns the fracture types, localizations, and ideal treatment methods according to these characteristics and complications. From such data, the ideal treatment method depends not only on the fracture type and localization but also the surgeon's experience and preference.