PEDIATRICS Vol. 79 No. 4 April 1987, pp. 639-641
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by MYALL, R. W. T.
Right arrow Articles by GREGORY, C. E. B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by MYALL, R. W. T.
Right arrow Articles by GREGORY, C. E. B.

Are You Overlooking Fractures of the Mandibular Condyle?

ROBERT W. T. MYALL MD, FDSRCS, FRCD(C)1, GEORGE K. B. SANDOR MD, DDS, FRCD(C)1, and CRYSTAL E. B. GREGORY DMD1

1 Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Children's Orthopedic Hospital and University of Washington, Seattle

Fractures of mandibular condyle may be overlooked because attention is often focused on readily apparent soft tissue injury such as lacerations and abrasions. Clinical and radiographic signs are often subtle, but the injuries caused by rapid deceleration and listed in Table 2 will serve to alert the pediatrician to the possibility of such fractures. All children in these circumstances should be carefully examined for dental occlusion and the preauricular area palpated to help formulate a clinical diagnosis. Additional evidence is gained from the finding of deviation or limitation of the jaw upon opening or edema in the preauricular area. If any of these yield abnormal findings, a good quality series of mandibular radiographs will be needed to confirm the diagnosis. Overlooking a condylar fracture may commit a child to unsightly facial asymmetry, marked malocclusion, or ankylosis requiring invasive surgery for correction. Consultation with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or other interested specialist should be sought while the patient is still in the emergency room.