• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.260-264
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• 2010

Treatment of the mandibular fracture consists of reduction and fixation. The apparatus that is used to keep the jaws together during healing will often reduce the fracture as well. When the jaws are brought together and intermaxillary elastic rubber traction is placed, the occlusion of the teeth will help to orient the fractured parts into good position. Intermaxillary fixation, that is, fixation obtained by elastic bands between the upper & lower jaws to which suitable anchoring devices have been attached, will successfully treat most fractures of the mandible. Arch bars are perhaps the ideal method for intermaxillary fixation. Several types of ready-made arch bars are used. But, daily occupational life and oral hygiene is difficult to maintain during the period of longterm immobilized intermaxillary fixation (commonly 6-8 weeks), owing to malnutrition and emotional disorders in a position of the patient with mandibular fractures. Most mandibular fractures heal well enough to allow removal of fixation in about 6 weeks. Though there are many complications of mandibular fracture, such as infection, hemorrhage, trismus, paresthesia and nonunion, it is favorable to attain the short-term removable intermaxillary fixation care by use of an additive incision & drainage establishment on the oral lacerated wounds of adjacent mandibular compound fractures. The purpose of an additive incision & drainge establishment is the prevention of wound infection & nonunion by removing the hematoma & seroma in the fracture sites.