Objectives: To investigate which treatment of maxillofacial fractures is more effective and what type of complications is the most common after observed treatment. The second aim is to explore relationship between treated facial bone fractures and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathology.
Material and methods: Cases with TMJ pathology in Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS) in the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery (MS) during 2012-2014 were analysed to research the occurrence of TMJ disorders after facial bone fracture treatment. Moreover, the clinical data of patients that were treated in LUHS in the Department of MS during 2012-2014 was collected and analysed.
Results: Male patients had higher fracture ratio (zygomatic and maxillary - 84%, mandibular - 89.72%). Complications occurred in 6% of the patients in a zygomatic and maxillary fractures group, mainly as an infraorbital nerve injury. Closed reduction and indirect fixation were performed for mandibular patients 49.7%. The ratio of complications for mandibular fractures was 6.1%. There were complications in group with the open reduction and direct fixation (24.2%, mostly osteomyelitis), when in the closed reduction and indirect fixation group (42.4%, mostly bone healing complications). There were no patients with TMJ pathology as a complication after facial bone fracture treatment.
Conclusions: Fractures treatment technique differs in all cases because of individual characteristics and treatment variations. In the open reduction and direct fixation group complications occurred in fewer cases than in the closed reduction and indirect fixation group. Well-timed facial bone fracture treatment leads to non-occurrence of TMJ complications.