Mandible Fractures

Abstract

This chapter summarizes the treatment options for different fractures of the mandible with emphasis on early mobilization and restitution of form and function. Emphasis in the management of mandibular fractures includes the establishment of the premorbid occlusion, surgical anatomy, the course of the inferior alveolar nerve, and biomechanics of the mandible. The principles of plating and the concepts of load-sharing and load-bearing osteosynthesis have also been discussed so that the reader will better understand the application of each in different fracture situations. The chapter concludes by briefly describing the complications of mandible fractures and their management.