Management of a gunshot wound to the face resulting in a mandibular body fracture with burying of a bicuspid crown into the tongue.

Abstract

Gunshot wounds to the maxillofacial region are unpredictable and run the gamut from minor injuries to severe mutilating and life threatening injuries. This patient although unfortunate to have been the victim of mistaken identify resulting in the gunshot wound, was fortunate that the bullet hit his bicuspid, which probably served to deflect its path away from vital structures, thus saving his life. This accounts for the buried bicuspid crown found in the midline of the body of the tongue. Rigid internal fixation of maxillofacial fractures minimizes risks to the airway that may occur if patients are in post-operative maxillo-mandibular fixation during the post-anesthetic recovery phase. In addition, the use of rigid internal fixation speeds up the recovery and the patient's ability to return to function after surgery. Above, we presented an interesting case of a mandibular anterior body fracture resulting from a gunshot wound in the face and resulting in the burying of a bicuspid crown in the substance of the tongue, treated under general nasoendotracheal anesthesia and the use of rigid internal fixation (EDCP).