Abstract
MATERIALS AND METHODS INCLUSION CRITERIA * All patients were older than 16 years * Unilateral subcondylar or condylar neck fractures * Degree of deviation between the condylar fragment and the ascending ramus of 10 to 45 degree, either medially or laterally, on the postero-anterior view of the mandible, with vertical ramus height shortening between 2-15 mm. EXCLUSION CRITERIA * Condylar head fractures * Insufficient dentition to reproduce normal occlusion * Medically compromised patients * Associated midface fractures * History of temporo-mandibular disfunction The basic treatment was intermaxillary fixation with elastic or wire for approximately 4 weeks, or an intramaxillary fixation. With each patient's consent, CT images were obtained at the time of injury and 1 year after the treatment, then converted into 3D-CT images using an AZE Virtual- Place medical image analysis workstation (AZE, Tokyo, Japan). The cases of simple fracture of the condylar neck in which a small bone fragment had been pulled by the lateral pterygoid muscle, so that it tilted sideways in medial direction, in which position fusion occurred at its point of contact with the fractured end of the ramus in the shape of an L, were classified as L-shaped patterns (Fig. 2). The L-shaped pattern was seen in healed simple fractures if the small bone fragment was pulled by the lateral pterygoid muscle, so that it tilted sideways in medial direction, in which position fusion occurred at its point of contact with the fractured end of the ramus.